


Picture Perfect

by SimplyTsundere



Series: Days Go By [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternative Model Jean, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Chemistry Teacher Marco, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Ex Sniper Marco, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Photoshoots, Popularity, Sequel, Snake Dad Marco, Stalking, Strained Relationships, Tattooed Jean Kirstein, Tattooed Marco Bott, fake engagement
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-01 21:01:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13303140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimplyTsundere/pseuds/SimplyTsundere
Summary: Summer days are over. The time has come for Jean and Marco to try to life their lives as model and teacher. Unfortunately, as much as anyone may have the desire to keep fires burning, they don't always stay lit. From stalking, press nightmares, long distance, and fake engagements, Marco and Jean are going to have their hands full when they discover they're no longer alone in their relationship. Once the world knows of their relationship heavy strains begin to wear on them. They've only just found each other after ten years, but can they hope the newly rekindled fires will burn long enough to withstand the trials ahead of them?





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> It's that time again, guys! It's been six months since Summer Days as I've been told. I hope you guys are ready for what's going to happen here! I look forward to seeing you all again, and I hope that I can make you proud with this sequel. Classes have started back for me, so until I know if they're going to kick my ass I'm going to say the update will be on the 28th. Likely to update every two weeks, but for now it'll be on "as done" basis. Sorry, I just don't know my course load yet. When I get it down pat, I'll be sure to let you guys know in the next update and on my tumblr!
> 
> ~Hugs & Kisses,  
> ❤♠Neko❤♠

Sunrise. Inhaling deeply, Marco opened his eyes to discover that last night hadn’t been a cruel fabrication. Wrapped in his arms and still wearing his shirt, Jean mumbled and buried his face deeper into his chest. How sweet could he be? It was the last day of camp and by that he meant that they were simply going to get to camp, say goodbyes, and clean up before going back to their lives as if nothing happened the last two weeks. Life had to resume at some point, but as Marco lay there with Jean curled into him he didn’t want it to be then. He wished to hold onto the moment as tightly as he could. Unfortunately, oftentimes the longer someone clutched something was very moment it began to slip from their grasp.

Amber eyes soon cracked open reluctantly and Jean hummed into his chest _“Hey.”_

Marco dragged him as close as possible before pushing back his hair and kissing his forehead “Morning, Jean.”

“Great morning,” Jean corrected with a lazy smile. Smothering him in affection, Marco’s chest began to flutter as he pressed delicate kisses to the tip of his nose, his cheeks, his chin, and ultimately his lips. Hearing Jean’s drowsy little laughs as he feigned a slight annoyance had him smiling the entire time. No matter what his brain told him about having to get up and get ready, Marco would have spent all the time in the world with Jean in that bed.

Knowing that they did have to leave eventually, Marco raked his fingers through Jean’s turquoise streaked hair “Why don’t you go shower? We need to get up so I can stop by the store and get a new phone.”

“Only going to shower if you’re coming with me,” Jean lulled enticingly as he trailed an index finger up his jaw “so we’re going, right?”

Unable to disagree with that, Marco nodded with a salacious smirk “Sure, but only showering. If we had the time though…mmm, what I wouldn’t do to you in that shower is a _ short _ list.”

Jean rolled out of bed, giving his hips a bit of a shake as he headed to the bathroom “C’mon then, love, help me soap up.”

“Yes, sir,” Marco chirped as he climbed out of the bed. If there was one thing Jean knew how to be it was most certainly alluring. Sexy and sinful, or playful and fun Jean seemed to be equipped with everything that would cause Marco to follow him aimlessly. Wherever Jean was going, he wanted to be at his heels. In the case of the shower, spending a morning in silken skinmanship was a delightful start to the day. If everything was going to be as fun as roaming his hands along every inch of Jean’s body, then it spoke well for the day’s progress. 

Basking in the bliss of their tender actions wasn’t to be enjoyed for much longer. Jean could dressed easily enough, but for Marco he was going to have to find a way around that. Showing up in the clothes he left in would just shout that the two had spent their night together. Instead of putting it out there so blatantly, the two wanted to wait until the world had to be in their relationship with them before divulging it to everyone. It appeared that Jean had noticed the dilemma at hand and opted to peruse through his drawers for something that might fit him.

Without much luck, Marco opted to return in Jean’s sweats and pick up a shirt on the way back. Jean had a lot to do before closing up the house, including scanning Marco’s thumb for the print registry for the security measures, so Marco took to heading out to the car after making sure to snag the polaroid camera. He was ready to leave when Jean joined him in the car. Their drive was going to be relatively long so Marco turned up the radio, placed a hand on Jean’s thigh, and tried to enjoy the ride until they came to their first stop. Jean offered to pay for the replacement of his phone, but Marco politely declined. It was a quick transaction, getting him in and out in around 20 minutes.

Fortunately, picking up a t-shirt was just as simple and the two returned to camp before anyone was the wiser. Marco had managed to steal a swift kiss, and then headed off to wake his campers for the last time. They would leave at noon and so he wanted to be sure to wish them well. As he walked in, he noticed that they were all already moving around and preparing for their departure. 

“Good morning, guys,” Marco announced from the doorway. “I see you’re all getting ready to go home. I hope that the two weeks here were both educational and enjoyable. We had our ups and downs together, but I’ll give you a clean slate when you leave here. If you wind up in my chemistry class, I may give you a little hell for old time sake, but I’ll always be there for you. School problem or not, you’re more than welcome to stop by my class. For those of you I won’t see again I’m glad to have been your counselor and I wish you nothing but the best once you leave here. You’re all more than welcome to come back next year, providing you’re under 18.” He was given many surprising answers, even a hug or two, and he had to admit that the year wasn’t so bad. His campers were sent off to breakfast and he headed off to his own cabin. Things needed to be packed and the place needed to be cleaned. 

To his surprise, there was one camper who stopped him on the way to his cabin “Hey, Bodt.”

Shifting his gaze to be met with none other than Levi, Marco smiled “What’s up, kid? Ready to go home?”

“You bet,” Levi answered before his voice fell and he stepped closer “I just, uh, I just wanted to say thank you….for everything. You really helped out in a way I don’t think you know.”

“No sweat,” Marco replied casually as he gave a hard pat to Levi’s back “it’s kinda my job, ya know? Make sure you come by my office when school starts. I’ll do whatever I can in my power to help you, even if it’s just to listen. I told you that if you need it.”

Levi nodded and gave him a smile “I remember. Thanks. I gotta question for you: did you get to have that real dinner like you wanted?”

Recalling the way Levi had been so smug about that victory at the capture the flag, Marco clicked his teeth “Tsk, that was a rude way to get us together. Didn’t I tell you that you had no business in my affairs?” Before turning to walk off, Marco tossed him a smile and a wink “But, uh, I didn’t have dinner, Levi, I _just_ got here.” He’d caught the tail end of Levi’s molar to molar smile just before he returned to his cabin. Cleaning up and packing everything was going to be a daunting task, but at least he kept everything relatively neat and tidy. Things were packed away rather quickly though he had to double check every room and triple check each drawer in the place.

Once everything was clear of the cabin, Marco made the trek out to his jeep and began to throw his bags in the back. As he returned to the cabin, his next step was to clean everything top to bottom. Not a single spec of dirt, dust, or grime would be seen when he was gone. It wasn’t his normal place, but it had been his for the time being which mean it was going to be taken care of. Thankfully it didn’t take very long to clean it top to bottom, but it had still chewed up a considerable amount of time in the gap between breakfast and midday. 

Before he knew it, he was having to meet the other counselors at the entrance to the campsite. All campers were leaving with smiles and it was their job to stand there like smiling sentries, waving them on to where it was they were supposed to be next. For a bit things were looking up and then it was a moment Marco had to stiffen. A metallic, navy blue Maxima rolled through the entrance of the camp and soon enough Ymir was sending a playful punch to his ribs. His aunt Margot’s arm was through the open window beckoning him closer, so he followed suit and opened the car door for Ymir along his way.

“Marco!” Came the high pitched squeal from inside the car. Bending just enough to peer inside the vehicle, he could make the bright golden eyes behind her tortoiseshell patterned sunglasses. Caramel hair fell in waves around her shoulders as a pearly smile widened her lips “Baby! How are you!”

Reciprocating her smile, Marco chuckled softly “Good, Aunt Margot. I hope you and Uncle Rob are doing well. It was good to see Ymir for a bit. Take care, okay? I love you guys.”

“Love you too, baby! Come visit us sometime,” his aunt waved as he stepped away from the car. Luckily, he managed to dodge the bullet about visiting. It wasn’t that he didn’t like his aunt, and he loved his cousin, but it was just all the family situations made him a teensy bit uncomfortable. Oftentimes his family members tried to dredge up things about his past, ask about his love life, and then tell him he was stagnating as a high school teacher. None of that was fun for him, so he strayed as far away from it as possible.

With all the campers leaving, it was their job to not only clean their own cabins but those of the campers as well. The front office needed to be cleaned top to bottom and that would be carried out by all of them. Remaining camper cabins would be taken care of by the individuals who oversaw each cabin. Marco and the others easily went along their way, taking care to ensure they left the campground exactly as they’d found it, if not better. Pristine wasn’t often an adjective for campsites, but when they were finished cleaning the entire place most of them would have felt comfortable eating off the floors.

Erwin wasn’t so much as letting them break from it all before he began to speak “Thanks for all your hard work, guys! Really. We had a great run this year. I know things got difficult, but thanks to you all we really pulled it off.”

A wide grin twisted Marco’s lips as he laced his words in heavy sarcasm “Spiders, embarrassing moments, almost drowning, getting shown up, getting handcuffed, getting drugged, getting set afloat in the lake?!  _ Best  _ damn year I’ve had so far!”

Rolling his eyes, Mike poked an index finger into the side of his neck “Uh huh, fucking liar. With those hickies you’re coincidentally sporting, you can’t say shit.”

Having a laugh, Erwin patted a hand on Mike’s chest “Careful now, babe. You might irritate Jean if you keep poking at his handiwork.”

“Don’t think his  _ hands  _ did that,” Hanji snickered, tossing in another playful jab.

Jean’s cheeks dusted peony as Marco decided their jig was up and wrapped around him from behind, lips pressing to his neck sweetly “Mmm, the kids are gone, we’re dating, and I hang out with these _ losers  _ all the time. They knew something was up. You can’t fool them.”

Before Jean could retaliate, Erwin shook his head “Especially not after this morning when you both showed up and Marco has a price tag sticking off his shirt. I’m happy for you both, and our lips are sealed---”

Hanji interrupted even Erwin as the atmosphere around them swirled in thick sparks “But do  **not** go busting up our little sniper boy. He’s got enough demons of his own to worry about without you adding to pile. I can make a compound deadlier than botulism and kill you with it. No one would ever know.”

“I know about his demons, Hanji,” Jean smiled softly “and I’m thankful that I’m no longer one of them. He’s not used to someone actually giving a shit or talking back, but mainly little Hawk Eye here isn’t used to giving a shit about the person he sleeps next to. That’s all going to change. No need for mystery toxins, Hanji.”

“Careful,” Marco warned in bubbly jest “you’re gonna give away all my secrets. C’mon, all work and no play makes me tired. My cabins are cleaned, you’ve got the damn keys, I’ve taken out the trash, and now I’m taking what’s  _ mine _ and leaving. Let’s go.” Without a warning, Marco wrapped his hand around Jean’s wrist and dragged him along with him out to the car. Their day was over, his friends knew about Jean, and soon the world would be in their relationship. A photoshoot was taking place in a couple of days and then Jean really would be in the wind for a while. Going to Monte Carlo for a week….he just got Jean to himself and now they were just going to be ripped apart. He wanted all the time he had left to spend with Jean before either of them had work obligations. 

Jean seemed a bit surprised by him dragging him off “Whoa! Where are we going?”

“Ridgecrest Lake Apartment Complex, unit 2B,” Marco replied “we’ll hide your car in the deck. Spend the day with me?” Knowing very well that Marco didn’t just let people into his apartment, Jean willingly, and quite excitedly, nodded before he got into his car to follow Marco back to his place. The city was always rather congested at the middle of the afternoon, but it appeared that Jean drove like a bat outta hell with a lead foot. He’d had no trouble keeping pace with Marco as he wove through traffic, in fact he recalled Jean on his bumper a few times during the drive. At least once they were in the parking deck Jean could back the car with the license plate towards the concrete so no one could see the custom plate and give away the fact he was there.

After Jean had parked, Marco beckoned him into the jeep and they drove to Marco’s spot that he always had saved just a few spaces away from the stairwell up to his place. Of course it wasn’t anything to compare to Jean’s home, nowhere even in the same universe of comparisons, but it was comfortable, quaint, and it was home. Inside, Jean was met with the nice flow of air conditioning and the disaster area that Marco called a living room. At some point his heap of papers and scheduling outlines would have been organized, but he hadn’t been home in two weeks. He’d not exactly had time to prepare everything for company although Jean knew that his decor was practically tornado. 

By the sectional and coffee table there were permanent coffee rings stained into the table, likely from late night grading, and mountains of his scheduling papers scattered out haphazardly among the surface. Documents, folders, and pens lay strewn out over everything. Jean stifled a laugh as he watched Marco rush to the table and attempt to straighten them up and take his mugs off the table. 

“Jesus, Marco,” Jean sighed as he began to pick up random documents “I  _ knew  _ you were still messy as shit. What even is this shit?”

Groaning, he took the paper from him and rotated it “A piece of a lab for biotechnology. All of this was class stuff. I was trying to get it in order for a few nights. I can do it later, but I do need to get it off the table lest they all fly away with the AC on.” Assisting Marco in collecting the papers together in a more manageable pile. Gathering them together, Marco bound them inside a thick, leather bound journal and stuffed it into one of the glass veiled cubbies on the entertainment center.  

Taking a seat on the charcoal sectional behind him, Jean sat down into the crook “So, what should we do? I mean, aside from me laugh at you cleaning two weeks worth of grime?”

“Let me just pick up a few things and we can do whatever we wanted to do when we were kids,” Marco offered as he picked up a hoodie casually thrown over the back of the sofa. “We can waste the entire day away, order some food, and just lay here talking about nothing.” Deciding that sounded more than enough fun, Jean gave him a smile but insisted on helping him clean up things a bit. Though Marco detested the idea, he knew that telling Jean no would only lead to him sulking on the sofa instead. He allowed Jean to pick up a few things and discard others, but he didn’t want to unpack yet. That could be saved for later.

Until then, he dragged Jean back to the sofa and draped an arm over his shoulder. Sitting comfortably snuggled up with Jean in his place was something that would have been considered a demonic delusion had they never reconciled at camp. For a minute, Marco could think of nothing more relaxing than enjoying the mere presence of Jean at his side. 

Breaking the silence, Jean titled his head up to meet Marco’s eyes “So, how about we play something that we would have cringed at when we were kids?”

“Hmm,” Marco hummed in momentary contemplation “like what?”

“Like actually getting to know each other,” Jean laughed softly “for example: you still love music right?” Grabbing a short remote from the side table, Marco pressed a small button at the top right corner causing music to begin playing from the sound system inside the entertainment center. 

Answering, Marco placed the remote on his thigh “Music keeps me sane. It was one of the only luxuries in the military. I listen during my working out, when I’m zoned out grading over 100 papers, just to relax before bed, or when I wake up from a nightmare.”

Understanding that, Jean inquired “I get it, but if you had to create a playlist that reminded you of me what three songs would be at the top?”

Racking his brain a bit, Marco chuckled and skipped a song or two before answering “Forget Domani by Frank Sinatra, Bang the Doldrums by Fall Out Boy, and Better Together by Jack Johnson."

“You fucking  _ ass,” _ Jean responded with a playful smack “Bang the Doldrums is a horrible song to make you think of me. The others just prove you’re a giant dork.”

“Oh yeah?” Marco asked with a smirk “How about something strange? If you were a circus performer, what would your act be?”

Narrowing his amber eyes, Jean shrugged “That’s absurd. I dunno…but maybe a sword swallower? That sounds cool.”

Trying to restrain himself from laughing, Marco sputtered “Ha, well, you’re definitely _ skilled  _ enough for it, huh?”

“Fuck off!” Jean pouted as Marco decided to skim his fingers across Jean’s sides. He wasn’t going to let that pout stay on his face no matter how adorable it was to see. Squirming almost off the couch, Jean spazzed out as Marco’s fingertips dug into his ribs. Assaulting him in the form of tickling was the best way to both erase that pout and hear him laugh….though most of what he said were strangled curses between laughs. 

As Jean’s hand struck out to his stomach, Marco retracted both hands “Okay, I give!”

Rolling his eyes, Jean sat up and huffed “Uh huh. Ass.” Marco shrugged and flashed a bright smile which Jean found irresistible. Kissing him delicately, hand along his jaw, he sighed “Okay. Let’s say that rain ruins your plans. How do you get around it?”

“Depends,” Marco began “because if I’m alone then I’ll probably just go inside and read. I don’t like being drenched, but if it was something that was time sensitive I’d just push through it.”

“What if it ruined our date?” Jean asked with a smile, wondering just how he was going to get around that one.

Failing to hesitate, Marco chuckled “Then we’d come back here, or your place, cuddle up, watch a movie, play a game, maybe take a nap, and order take out….I might even be able to be persuaded to cook.”

Sighing, Jean rolled his eyes playfully “Damn. That’s a good answer. You don’t even know how nice that actually sounds. All day at shoots and then being able to be lazy? It’s a dream.”

“Dreams have a way of becoming reality if you want them to,” Marco replied with a wink “but when we have to work out it won’t be too relaxing. Don’t forget, Mr. Model has to stay in shape but we can shower afterwards. What’s your favorite thing about being a model?”

“How did you manage to make a work out date sound alluring?” Jean snickered before answering Marco’s question. “My favorite part is probably that I get to see other artists light up when their vision becomes reality. I also get to use my popularity to push issues I believe in. I get to have a voice, and I get to use that voice to take a stand for what I believe in.”

Marco nodded “Always the humanitarian and fighting for what you believe in. I always admired that about you. You were so young and determined to fight back in your own way while not giving a damn about whose feelings were in the way. If you believed it, you were going to say it without a care in the world.”

With a short snort, Jean shook his head “Out of the two of us,  _ Staff Sergeant _ , I think one of us did a whole lot more fighting for what he believes in. You were probably an incredible leader.”

“You’d have to ask my unit about all that,” Marco brushed off.

Eyes shimmering with curiosity, Jean asked “Can I?”

Bewildered, Marco blinked back his surprise “What? You  _ want  _ to meet them?!”

Shrugging, Jean nodded “I mean, yeah, why wouldn’t I? I’d love to meet them. Do you keep in contact?”

Voice soft, Marco answered “Not really. After everything that happened….I’d really rather not be reminded of it. We’re on each other’s social media. I post a happy birthday if I can remember, but that’s about the extent of our communication these days.”

“Maybe you should talk to them,” Jean replied before skimming over it, noticing it making Marco a bit uncomfortable, “but, on another note, I work with a lot of catty people. If anyone ever hit on you, would you tell me about it? Even if it was a close friend?”

Grabbing his hand, Marco began to ghost his fingers along his skin before holding his gaze “Mark my words, Jean, were that to ever happen you’d hear it before I told you. I don’t take well to that kinda thing. Loyalty is so ingrained into me that I take personal offense to anyone acting to betray someone else. I would be so completely honest with you were that to happen, as I might even cause a disruption over it.”

Squeezing his fingers over Marco’s, Jean laughed “That’s good to know, since I have that upcoming shoot.”

“Tell me more about it,” Marco urged as he twined his fingers with Jean’s.

“I really told you what I know. It’s for agender clothing line. Sex sells so we’ll probably be all over each other in some shots and half naked in one of the singulars,” Jean explained casually. 

Marco quirked a brow “How many photos are you going to take?”

“Hundreds,” Jean chuckled “but if you mean how many will make it to the ads then it’ll be about four to six. Each of us will have two singular photos and anywhere from two to four together to complete the spread. They’ll be able to go anywhere from magazines, billboards, commercials, or wherever. If we need to do more then we will. We don’t really get to decide, ya know? It’s more ‘hey, Jean, stand there, do this, look this way’ and that’s about it.”

Knowing that was a lot of pictures for only a few, Marco shrugged “Well at least it’ll be an interesting process. It still amazes me how I’ve never seen any of your work before.”

“Do you read magazines? How about pay attention to the latest social trends? Even where you live is out of the loop,” Jean snickered in jest. “Most of my work is done in Valley Springs. I have a lot of advertising out that way, but you’re just not into pop culture.”

“Oh, I am now more _ into _ pop culture than I’ve ever been,” Marco retorted with a devilish inflection. “I just think if I’d have seen you before hand it would have helped our situation at camp.”

“I enjoy it when you get _ into _ pop culture,” Jean winked before poking one of Marco’s cheek “but you’re still hung up on the whole situation, huh? It’s okay. It was one giant misunderstanding, and I’m just as much to blame for retaliating in kind.” As he noticed the sulk oncoming, Jean grinned wide “Hey. Can I have something from you?”

Confused, Marco required some clarification “Uh, like what?”

Getting to his feet, Jean batted his eyes “Show me your bedroom. I’ll find it in there.”

Apprehensive as to just what Jean was going to dig through his bedroom for, Marco led the way “Sure, but I’ve no idea what you plan on finding if you pilfer through everything. Curiosity killed the cat.” Rolling his eyes at the answer, Jean just happily trailed at his heels while Marco lead him to the back of the apartment. Down a short stretch of hallway, Marco’s bedroom was adjacent to the bathroom. If there one place that Jean expected to look like a tornado had wreaked havoc on it, it was the bedroom. He was pleasantly surprised once Marco turned the doorknob.

Inside was a room sparsely decorated with blackout curtains letting in little to no light. Marco’s hand skimmed the wall to flick on the overhead light. Illuminated in a warm glow, Jean looked around the bedroom and saw that everything had a place to which it resided in. Perhaps it was some of Marco’s time in the military, but everything was so neat. Even as Jean left Marco in the doorway to explore, he discovered that his shirts, his pants, even his socks were folded in their drawers. Without locating what he was looking for in any of his drawers, Jean made for the closet in front of the foot of the bed.

Sliding open the door, Jean’s eyes began to sparkle. Marco regarded him curiously. Just what he was looking for in his things he wasn’t exactly sure until he heard Jean.

“Ah! Yes!” Jean chirped exuberantly as he removed an article of Marco’s clothing. Clicking his teeth at what Jean had been looking for, Marco sighed. Why did everyone he was with want to steal his damn clothes? He knew immediately when Jean took it from the closet that he’d likely never see it again. Part of him thought that may have been a good thing, but he knew that it was something he needed to keep in the end.

Walking over to him, Marco rested his chin atop Jean’s shoulder “My fatigues?  _ Really?” _

Reveling in the scent around the collar of the camouflaged uniform top, Jean hummed “Mhmm, smells like you. I won’t wear it out in public….pretty sure you can get into trouble for that. I just want something to have while our schedules keep us apart.”

“Okay, but why does everyone want my clothes and especially my fatigues?” Marco asked with a knitted brow. “It’s very likely I killed someone in those, ya know? Maybe I’ve got some blood on it? You don’t know. Probably sweat buckets in it too.”

“We’re in a relationship,” Jean smirked “so these are our fatigues. Those pants?  _ Our _ pants. This shirt I’m wearing? _ Our _ shirt. Your clothes are mine too; this is our closet. Your fatigues are sexy and washed. Thinking of you in them…. _ sexier.” _

Laughing at how he’d said that, Marco shook his head “Alright, alright, go ahead and take it. Just treat it well, okay?”

“Promise,” Jean lulled before stripping off his shirt “starting right now. It’s kinda warm in here.”

Gesturing to the terrarium to the left of his bed, Marco chuckled “Kelani has to have it warm, and it’s the only place in the apartment warm enough.”

“Can’t believe you have a damn snake,” Jean uttered as she shimmied out of his pants and pulled on Marco’s top “but I can get used to it. Maybe I’ll wanna hold him. You’ll have to let me.” Marco cocked his head to the side as Jean remained in nothing but his boxers, his socks, and Marco’s dusty digital jungle fatigues. It wasn’t exactly like no one had ever tried on his fatigues in an attempt to rouse him, but it hadn’t ever worked. As his eyes rolled over Jean’s body, navel exposed by the lack of buttoning, tattoos on display, the marks he’d left the previous night uncovered across porcelain skin, and the gleam of piercings shining in the light, he couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his veins. 

Wrapping his arms immediately around Jean, tugging him flush to his chest, Marco whispered “Everything I am, Jean, is yours. My clothes, my apartment, my heart….anything you want of mine is yours. For ten years I’m pretty sure my heart has always been with you. Quite obviously it wasn’t with me. The fact you’re here, standing with me in my apartment wearing my fatigues, makes me happier than I’ve been in about forever. No matter how far away from me you get, whether you have a shirt, a jacket, a piece of my uniform, or not, Jean, you will always carry a piece of me with you.  _ Never  _ forget that.”

Surprised at his words, Jean hugged him tightly “I won’t. I’m sure we’ve been given a second chance. Subconsciously, I suppose you’ve had mine just as long. I’ve been waiting for this chance longer than I thought.”

Marco nuzzled the tip of his nose into Jean’s neck “We’re just two horribly broken people that have been lucky enough to have a second chance at what we couldn’t do back when. Two dumbass kids---”

“Turned into two dumbass adults and almost let it happen again,” Jean replied.

“Never again,” Marco promised with a kiss to Jean’s skin “so if you’re gonna wear that, Jean, while you’re gone please remember that it’s not the important thing of mine you carry.”

Looking up to him, Jean pushed up on his tiptoes and kissed him gently “Good. I’ll have a couple things to carry off to Monte Carlo. How about we make some good memories to take with me too?”

“Whatcha got in mind?” Marco asked smoothly as he slipped a hand up Jean’s stomach.

Bending into the touch, Jean hummed “Bad horror movies, food, and spending the night?”

Finding the terms agreeable, Marco nodded “Alright. Perfect to me, just like you.”

“Question first: do you smoke inside?” Jean posed as he moved towards his discarded pants.

Knowing what he was getting at, Marco grabbed his cigarettes from his bedside table “Feening for a fix? Normally I just smoke on the veranda but--”

Taking the cigarettes as Marco offered Jean shrugged “No, it’s okay. I can get some air. It’s warm enough.”

Deciding to lead him to the veranda, Marco asked “Okay, just be careful. I’m gonna order something from the restaurant down the way. Anything specific you want me to get for you? It’s a typical little family place. A little bit of everything.”

“Anything fried that you say a model  _ shouldn’t _ be eating is likely what I want. Cheese sticks sound great….” after exhaling a drag, he turned to Marco with the brightest eyes “but I would show you an unending wave of gratitude if they have to have, and you bring me, fried pickles with ranch.”

Grimacing at the thought, Marco cringed “God, you’re disgusting.”

“Whatever,  _ Survivor, _ I’m sure you’ve eaten worse things,” Jean retaliated with a plume of smoke.

“Chocolate covered ants sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon,” Marco teased “they’re crunchy and sweet. Mmm.”

Disgusted entirely to his core at the thought of eating an insect, Jean recoiled “Fucking gross, Marco!”

“To each their own,” Marco shrugged “anything else?”

Pausing to think of something, Jean nodded “Hmm, cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato. If there is an dot of mayonnaise on it I _will_ hurl.”

“Be back shortly then,” Marco hummed through a kiss to Jean’s cheek. Within a few seconds Jean heard the keys rattle and the front door shut. He was alone in Marco’s apartment, in his shirt, smoking one of his cigarettes, on his balcony. Turning his head around, Jean caught a waft of the cologne from the collar of Marco’s uniform. For a moment he thought back to what Marco had said about it. Had he truly worn it out before? All the things he’d seen, he’d done, and been affected by….it didn’t matter. Marco was home. He was safe, and Jean got to bask in the comfort of his embrace.

Bliss was an understatement to the rush Jean felt through his body as he stared out over the city. Never in his life had anything felt as comforting as being with Marco. So many highs and lows had come and gone in his years, but being able to rekindle his relationship with Marco meant everything to him. He began to wonder just how long he was going to be able to hold onto it. Kaley had contracts piling up, and he began to feel like there wasn’t going to be nearly enough time. There was so much that he wanted to experience with Marco. Maybe when he dragged him to the shoot he could at least show him what he’d be doing while spending hours missing him. Surely it wasn’t so wrong to want to enjoy the little time he had with Marco before school started.

Life felt as though it was soaring to new heights, but it was about to be shot in the sky as Jean’s phone began to ring in the other room. Jogging to the bedroom to grab it, he looked down at the screen to see his mother’s name flashing across it. Instantly his stomach sank. Whatever this woman wanted, it wasn’t ever good and he highly doubted that it was about to change.


	2. Crazy Calls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back? Back again? Neko's back. Tell a friend. Ahhhhh, did you like that? I did! Sorry for being a fucking weirdo. So, I do have a new laptop which means things will be updating again, however, I'm also working on Ereri Love Month which is an entire month of prompts. Yikes, right? My main fics will likely update once or twice or a month depending. Just depends on how I feel. Schedules are hard to keep, but I will always use Sunday as my posting day. There will be at least SOMETHING every week. Thank you for putting up with me. I love you guys. Now, how about we finally answer that call we know it gonna make curl our lips in disgust. I promise there's some fluff :3 So awayyyyyy we go!
> 
> ~Hugs & Kisses,  
> ❤♠Neko❤♠

No time like the present to be sucked into the bowels of hell. Jean glanced at the phone with a heavy sigh before swiping to answer the call and holding it to his ear. Almost immediately he could hear his mother’s groan that he’d not answered sooner. Just what the shrew could harp at him for he didn’t know, but he was ready to bet that he was about to find out.

“Yes, Carolyn, can I help you somehow at 5pm?” Jean answered facetiously. 

Venom dripping from her pointed words, his mother scoffed “Ugh, how like you. How dare you not call Savannah! She said she hasn’t heard from you and you need to take the stone to the jewelers. Her fingers are so slender you know. Dinner has to be planned---”

“Excuse me?” Jean shouted in sheer shock. “What the hell are you talking about?! Oh, hang on, I have another call. I’ll call you right back. We  **will** discuss this.” Luckily, he could dodge that for a moment before answering the next call. “Jean Kirschtein.”

“Hey baby!” Came the shrill, piercing voice to his eardrum. Somehow controlling the urge to retch and hang up, Jean fought his instinct. 

“Savannah?” Jean asked softly. “What the fuck is going on with my mother? I’ve a feeling you’ve got something to do with this.”

Concern drifting into the young woman’s voice, she sighed “What is that supposed to mean, Jean? I got the flowers you sent and I talked to your mother about the ring. It’s too big for my finger.”

Blindsided, Jean’s cigarette tumbled to the ground “ **WHAT?!** I didn’t send you flowers and I  **DAMN** sure didn’t you a fucking ring. Listen to me, you absolute fucking door knob, I am not interested in marrying you one bit. We went out on one date to shut my mother’s cawing beak. At no point does any sane person want to marry someone after one date.”

“Jeany, why are you being so mean?!” Savannah sobbed from over the phone, her voice breaking. “Carolyn would cry if she heard you speaking to me like this! When you come home we are going to have a serious talk and then you can tell me if cream and rose are good for the Zarnette Ballroom.”

Losing his semi-cool attitude, Jean’s voice boomed as he yelled “I’m not going to say anything to her because, and I cannot possibly stress this any harder,  **YOU’RE NOT MARRYING ME.** Get that through your dense goddamn skull you vapid bimbo! I hate _ everything _ about you. Your voice sounds likes two cats scream fucking in a rustling bush, your body is as appealing as a fucking 2x4, I’d seriously rather burry my dick in a blender, you have the intellect of a grain of rice, you’re only interested in me because you want to marry into money when your looks fade, just ask my mother what happens when you do that, and mostly, you vacuous barbie, the reason I’m not marrying you is because you aren’t a tan, tall, gorgeous  _ man  _ built like a Grecian god named Marco Bodt. Do not let me  **ever** hear your name again. I am not above a restraining order; it wouldn’t be my first. Goodbye, Savannah.” 

Taking a deep breath as his hands began to shake from the surge of sheer anger, Jean redialed his mother. The two definitely needed to have words about whatever the fuck was going on. If anyone had sent that coat hanger flowers and ring under his name then it had to be his mother. She’d been egging this on from the start and it was about time it ended. If the press got wind of all the drama surrounding him it’d be a frenzy. He could only imagine how Marco would feel about the whole ordeal as well. Catching Marco up in the middle of it was the line. At no point was he going to throw him in the middle of his shit. 

By the time his mind had whirled back to reality his mother’s voice rattled his brain “Jean!”

“Sorry,” Jean apologized sincerely before his words began to heat “but what I will not apologize for is ridding myself of Savannah. How  _ dare _ you. Sending that girl a ring from me?! That is a new low. I’m dating a man, Carolyn, so I have no interest in anyone aside from him. I’ve told her I’m going to file a restraining order if she continues. This is the twentieth plus attempt you’ve made to marry me off to someone. You’re nothing but a self centered, washed up, has been who is more concerned with trying to make sure everyone around you is just as miserable as you pretend not to be! I’m sick and tired of you thinking you can control me, because I’m not the little pageant queen you wanted! All you’ve ever done is build me up in public and rip me apart behind closed doors.” 

Carolyn’s voice was a harsh, biting whisper as she replied “Jean Alexander. I’ve done nothing but the absolute best for you. Why can’t you see what I’m doing is what’s right? Savannah is a g---”

“She’s _ you,” _ Jean spat “and I’m  **not** interested. At what point do you understand that I am a grown ass man who doesn’t need, or even fucking want, his mother’s opinion? I’m done with everything this family represents. You think you can fool everyone with the reason dad is out filming? He’s doing it to get away from you, you fucking demented harpy! You’re not happy and neither is he. Me, on the other hand? I finally am. I don’t need you trying to make me into something I’m not, trying to make me into him, or force me into a relationship like yours. For future references, Carolyn, this means cut me out of your will, your life, and anything else. I don’t want  **anything** from you.” Without another word, Jean ended the call and let out a groan of frustration. Just what in the hell was that woman playing at!? Ugh. All he felt in that moment was a mix of sickness and ire. Every part of him was filled with an uncontrollable rage, which meant he needed another cigarette. 

As he lit up another, he took several drags and allowed himself to regain some semblance of control over himself and his emotion. Letting her get to him like that wasn’t how he needed things to go. It wasn’t the first time she’d tried to fake his signature or his agreement to something. What it was like to have a mother who gave a damn about him instead of reputation and upholding their family name he didn’t know….he was pretty sure he never would. Carolyn was a woman he had plans to never see again. After this last straw? He was completely done with everything from that family. Maybe if his father asked something of him, he may consider it, but even then that’d be a stretch. 

His cigarette dwindled down to the butt much faster than he’d have liked, so he returned to Marco’s bedroom. Inside, he began to contemplate just what was happening. It was like that woman could hone in on his happiness and find a way to pick it to shreds. A foul mood was a grave understatement to what he was in. He was in Marco’s apartment and yet he couldn’t let himself relax. All that moved through his brain was how badly he wished he would have said more than he had, but that did often happen to people after arguments.

Laying out in Marco’s bed, Jean laid down and turned onto his side. It was hard to tell which side of the bed Marco slept on. The bed was freshly made and the sheets appeared to be laundered. No lingering scent could be gathered from the linen, so he just looked to the left side of the bed. Marco’s snake was flicking out its tongue, staring at Jean with its beady eyes and tiny little mouth. He’d never found a snake to be particularly cute, but the black and white mottled thing was actually growing on him. It wasn’t exactly big, so there was nothing to be afraid of.  

Tracing his fingertip languidly across the glass he sighed “Must be boring to spend all your time in that thing, huh? I know a little something about that.” Watching as it lifted up to nudge his finger’s placement on the glass, Jean laughed “Yeah, you’re kinda cute, but I’m not dumb enough to put my hand in there. Last damn thing I need today is to tell people my boyfriend’s snake bit me.”

“He doesn’t bite unless you’re dinner,” Marco chuckled as he leaned in the doorway “but our dinner is in the front room.”

Rolling onto his stomach, Jean tried to smile “Okay, can we eat in here instead?”

Noticing the frustration practically etched into his face, Marco shook his head “No. C’mere.” Kicking off his shoes, Marco got into the bed and placed the back of his hand to Jean’s cheek “Your temperature is up and you look pissed. Something’s wrong.”

“My mother called,” Jean grumbled as he huffed “so it’s just the after effect.”

“Carolyn, ugh,” Marco rolled his eyes before bending to lift Jean’s chin “but don’t let her spoil your time with me, okay? We can be mad at her together, for whatever she did this time, but let’s do it later. Right now, I want to put on a movie, sit with you, and eat. I’m sorry it took me so long, but I did get something special for you.”

Interest piqued, Jean smiled “Yeah? You’re sweet. I’m trying my best to cool down, even had a second cigarette, so I came in here. I was hoping it’d smell like you, but laundered sheets.”

“Haha, I sleep on the right side,” Marco informed him with a smile before swiftly stealing a kiss “but if you wanna sleep on the right so you don’t wake up staring down Kelani it’s okay. I realize he’s not the most common type of pet to have, so it’s alright. If you wash your hands after we eat I’ll take him out, and we’ll see if you can get used to him.”

Jean cringed before nodding “Okay, sure. I guess we can go eat now. I’ll try to hop off the bitch train on the way.” Marco carefully took his hand and lead him from the bed to the sectional in the front room. Their dinner was carefully set out on the coffee table, drinks already on their coasters. It seemed that Marco had it all figured it out. Even the television was already placed on the horror section of Netflix, just waited to be scrolled through. Glancing over to him, Jean could see just how much this meant to him. 

If he was honest with himself, it probably meant more than he knew. For Jean it was a memory he was already holding dear. No one had ever just wanted to laze around, eat bad food, and watch worse movies while just enjoying each other’s company. Marco was different than anyone he’d ever been with, and that was monumental. It meant that he was genuinely attracted to him, interested in him and his thoughts, his dreams, his feelings, and didn’t give a damn about anything else. Once in his life someone finally understood him, and he happened to be the only one to ever understand him. Being back in Marco’s life was a blessing, but being romantically linked to him was a godsend.

His mind even ventured further down that path when he opened the white styrofoam box in front of him. Popping the lid open, Jean couldn’t help but smile. Not only had Marco indulged him in the fried pickles and cheese sticks, but there were also french fries and onion rings. Every horribly fried treat was in front of him in an appetizer sampler with everything he wanted. Surprising Marco with an excited kiss for the food had been worth the reaction he’d gotten in response. It had to be hard to get the drop on the ex-sniper, but just getting a kiss in was something he was going to count.

Marco’s big chocolate cow eyes rounded in surprise before they softened and his angelic laugh sounded in the space between them. There was something about the look in his eyes that Jean couldn’t shake. Inside those striking irises lay an emotion he couldn’t quite make out. The compassion and tenderness was easily seen, but something lurked beneath the surface. One day he was sure he’d find out just what it was, but in that moment every frigid ice shard in his blood left by his mother melted away. Suddenly nothing else in the world mattered, only where he was and how he felt being there.

Comfort lied in Marco’s gaze, his silken caress, in the warmth of his body, and the swoon in his words. Everything about Marco let him know he was safe. In that moment, Jean was free to be unapologetically himself. Marco was his freedom; his everything. Was that what it was like to feel so infatuated with a person? He didn’t truly know, but what he did know was that he was never letting it go. Not for some press shitstorm, not for some distance, and definitely not for his mother or some girl’s feelings. No, nothing was going to stand in his way from assuring that Marco would be at his side through both their thick and thins. Wavering from his fight would never be an option.

Sitting on the sofa, happily munching away on his dinner with his resolve steeled, Jean took the opening to lay in Marco’s lap once he’d finished eating. Tossing his feet over the arm of the sectional, stretching out as far as possible, Jean made himself comfortable and focused his attention on the television. A nice night had been formed and thus he was happier than he’d been in quite a while. If anything could have made it better, it was Marco excusing himself only to wash his hands and return. In the next moment Marco’s fingers were leisurely combing through his hair. 

Humming contentedly, not unlike a fat house cat, Jean gave into the relaxing sensation of Marco’s magical fingers. Being pampered by him wasn’t a bad thing, by any means, so he was certainly going to take what he could get. He was fighting the urge to sleep as relaxing as the feeling was, but he did actually want to get used to the fact his boyfriend not only had a snake but slept in the same room as it. 

Sitting up, he looked to Marco “So, I’m gonna go wash my hands. Can I hold Kelani?”

Marco grinned brightly “Sure, if he’s feeling social.” Getting to his feet, Jean assisted Marco in dragging him to his before heading off to the kitchen sink to wash his hands. After a moment he finished washing up and returned to the sofa, waiting patiently for Marco to return. While he was surfing through possible movies to watch next, Marco began to walk into the room. Draped around his neck was the Kenyan Sand Boa he’d been waiting to greet. When Marco sat down at his side, he gently lifted the snake and let him coil around his hands.

Jean hesitantly outstretched his hand “You know, I’ve never once touched a snake before.”

Carefully holding Kelani up, Marco tossed him a reassuring smile “I promise it’s not bad. Just hold your hands out and he’ll get comfortable. Snakes seek out the warmth in your body as they’re reptiles. They can tell when you’re afraid, anxious, or angry. All by the heat of your skin. Just relax and let him get comfortable. He’ll find a nice place to settle into while we watch a movie. If you get tired of having him, just move his head towards me.”

“Wow, that’s a lot for one little snake,” Jean chuckled nervously “but he’s not like I expected. How long have you had him?”

“About four years,” Marco answered as he watched Jean’s eyes dart around as Kelani slithered up his forearm. “He’s pretty social, but he likes to sit in my pocket and watch movies with his dad.”

Laughing a bit at the thought of Marco being a snake dad, Jean snickered “Haha, well,  _ snake dad _ , let’s hope that he’s okay with me.” As Kelani found a place of comfort wrapped around Jean’s wrist and forearm, the three of them lay comfortably on the sofa. Having a snake on him wasn’t as strange as he initially thought it would be. Feeling the slither of the scales up his arm as he decided to visit with Marco instead. Kelani settled around Marco’s neck, burying half of his body down Marco’s shirt and disappearing. It was odd to feel abandoned by a snake, but Marco was his owner and the man he knew as the one taking care of him. Still, it was a good experience for him to have. He was considerably less worried about sleeping in the same room as Kelani.

Sneaking his arm around Jean’s lower back, Marco tugged him close “So, what did you have in mind for tomorrow?”

“Nothing,” Jean answered honestly “what about you?”

“Hmmm, don’t really know either. Maybe when I wake up I’ll decide,” Marco offered as Jean rested his head on his shoulder.

“Can I ask something?” Jean inquired as the movie began to stagnate. When Marco gave him a slight nod, he continued “Why a snake? Why not a dog? Or a cat?”

Not being the first time he’d been asked that question, Marco already had his answer “Spite mainly. At first I had people tell me I was so bad in relationships that I should just get a dog instead. I was pretty sure I didn’t have the time for a dog, a cat is more like a roommate, and I wanted something that I could relax with. I’ve seen a lot of snakes in my day, more venomous ones than I care to count, but I’ve never had a bad encounter. Most just moved along their way and I’ve had to lay by a couple and be completely still. I just found that I never minded them and they were interesting.”

Taking that answer as a very Marco-esque response, Jean nodded “I see. Well, Kelani isn’t big enough to eat you, so I say that’s fine. I’ve got no idea how you handled being out in the middle of nowhere knowing how many things could have killed you.”

Marco brushed it off casually “Training, really. There are worse things than gaboon pit vipers at your feet. Enemy footsteps are a lot more terrifying. Now, this movie blows, so how about we call it a night?”

Definitely feeling the drowsiness kicking in, Jean readily agreed “Sounds good to me.”


	3. It'll All Workout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a bit, yeah? I had the urge for some JeanMarco lately, and I noticed a dear friend was catching up on Summer Days. It made me want to show her I noticed, so Gea, this one is for you. I did see your responses, I promise.
> 
> ~Hugs & Kisses,  
> Neko

Upon waking the next morning rather early, Marco took a moment to lay and enjoy himself. Watching the sun barely beginning to stream in from the blinds and illuminate Jean’s features, shadows contouring around his nose and cheeks, Marco laid blissfully at his side waiting on nothing in particular. For a moment he just wanted to take it all in. Jean was laying at his side but tomorrow he’d be gone. Tomorrow Jean had his shoot, and then he jetted off to Monte Carlo for another photo shoot leaving Marco without him. He wasn’t exactly going to have a fit about it, but he would miss him greatly. There just wasn’t a lot of time to be had when their schedules were as hectic as they were.  
  
Taking pleasure in the little things, like Jean’s subtle snores or the way he was nuzzled into his chest, was the way to etch them into his mind. Being unable to forget something as stunning as that would be impossible. Combing his fingers through Jean’s turquoise streaked hair, Marco sighed contentedly. What could be better than the moment? Feeling Jean drape himself over Marco’s midsection was a pretty good bet, as he clearly wasn’t looking to wake up anytime soon. There was no desire to rush him. Though he did have the urge to get up and head down to the gym for the morning, Marco couldn’t bring himself to tear away from Jean while he was still able to hold him so intimately.

Unfortunately, however, Marco’s morning was spoiled as soon as his alarm began blaring on his phone. Ugh. He’d neglected to turn it off before they headed to bed. Jean jumped nearly out of his skin at the sudden tornado siren blaring from Marco’s speaker. Marco had to snicker to himself as he fumbled with turning it off. Jean’s amber eyes were owlish as he stared over at Marco.

“What the **fuck** was that!?” He screeched unevenly.

Marco smoothed his hand over Jean’s jaw “Hey, hey, calm down. It’s just an alarm.”

Pouting as the furrow between his brows increased, Jean huffed “What kind of fucking _psychopath_ wants to be woken up by having a heart attack?!”

“Are you telling me your alarm is any better?” Marco chuckled before tugging a reluctant Jean closer to him.

“It’s not going to scare me like _that,”_ Jean argued softly “it’s music and not a literal warning alarm.”

With a smile, Marco shrugged “It wakes me up, so I don’t mind it. Didn’t mean for it to go off this morning though, sorry. Calm down and lay here with me a minute, please.”

Obeying the soft plea, Jean snuggled back beneath the blankets and kept himself to Marco’s chest “Okay, but I need to ask. Do you have plans today?”

Shaking his head, Marco answered swiftly “Nope; you?”

“Got some errands to run at the mall,” Jean mentioned “but I don’t think you’d wanna----”

“Any bit of time at your side is time well spent,” Marco corrected as he interrupted “so if you need to go out then we can. Anything else on the docket?”

Taking a moment to think, Jean groaned “Ugh, yeah, I need to work out, eat, shower, pick up my orders from the mall, get ready for the shoot tomorrow, and pack for Monte Carlo. I’d do it after the shoot, but I just won’t have the time.”

Skimming his fingertips over Jean’s skin, Marco hummed “Mmm, sounds like you could use a hand.”

“I could,” Jean smirked devilishly “but maybe in _another_ place.”

Chuckling, Marco reminded “Oh, how I would _love_ to give anything and everything to you, but I won’t let you falter in what you need to do. Let’s get up and start the day. Later we can see just how much time we have for extra curriculars.”

“Fine, fine,” Jean sighed “but only if you’re making breakfast.”

“Deal. Now, c’mon, I need to pack a spare of clothes if we’re working out at your place,” Marco chirped. Following his words, Marco was the first to roll out of bed. Jean lingered for a moment before joining him in getting ready to leave. He’d not exactly expected a workout date to happen so quickly, but he probably should have when it came to how often they both kept a regime. Maybe Marco’s was still part of a routine that he couldn’t shake, but Jean’s was purely for himself and his job. It was something he absolutely couldn’t miss out on. For that reason, Marco was ready to keep himself in the optimal shape. Being Jean’s workout partner didn’t exactly sound terrible anyway, and he needed to ensure he’d be able to keep up with him anyway. Getting to watch his muscles move as he sweat? Well, it sounded much better than working out by himself.

By the time he’d found his duffel bag, Marco looked over to see Jean rummaging through his--“their” dresser drawers. All he could do was roll his eyes. There was no knowing what he planned to steal and cart off, but no matter what he’d likely not care about it. Jean could steal whatever he wanted, so he paid it no more mind and focused on packing something to wear after his shower. Since Jean was ready to leave already, Marco hurried things up a bit. As he turned around when he finished packing, however, he noticed the room sorely lacking Jean’s presence. Attempting to locate him as he finished things up Marco figured there was one place he’d be.

Stepping out onto the veranda, Marco was silently watching Jean take in the view. The sun was still painting the valley in stunning hues of orange and yellow, but Marco was more focused on Jean as he exhaled a plume of smoke. In his left hand, Jean had a secure hold of his phone as he scrolled through, what his guess was, his social media. Deciding to come up from behind him, Marco wrapped him easily and buried his face against Jean’s throat. There was a delighted little hum as Jean snuggled closer, but Marco hadn’t expected Jean to be searching through selfies to post. Instead, Jean opted to take a new one as the sun rising behind them painted a gorgeous background to their early morning photographing. Just as he snapped the photo, Marco surprised him with a kiss on the cheek.

It seemed as though that one little photo was all it took to spur a couple more. He didn’t mind that Jean wanted them, or that he wanted to post them online. He knew that Jean having control over when and how the world found out about them was his priority. Knowing that the announcement came from him, and not a media outlet, was one small semblance of control he could hope to have over his personal life. There was no need to explain that, so Marco gladly kept to himself about the photos. He had to admit though, Jean was crafty in the way that he used the shadow of the building and the sun’s brightness to cleverly hide their faces a bit. All he saw was Jean type the hashtag “Blessed” as he posted the photo across all social media platforms.

“Thank you,” Jean whispered as he turned around in his arms “I just want them to be open to the idea that someone is with me. They don’t get a reveal yet, but they will later. This will just keep them buzzing.”

“I know it’s important to you,” Marco sighed contentedly as he brushed Jean’s hair back before planting a kiss to his forehead “so I don’t care how you need to do it. I’ll support whatever you want. This small bit of control in your private life may just be the only piece you have, so I understand. It’s whatever you need to do.”

Jean squeezed him tighter “You truly are the best.”

“Haha, not really,” Marco shrugged before releasing him “but are you ready to go now? We have to get your car, so you can drive back.”

“Right,” Jean nodded “yeah, let me go grab my keys.” With those words Marco tried to steel his resolve. All it took was the jangling sound to shoot his nerves. Everything about Jean was perfect, even with his flaws and faults, but he was going to find it awfully hard to overlook the driving.  Having Jean drive the way back was not going to be pleasant, but he knew that if he could handle rainforest monsoons then he could handle his boyfriend’s horrendous, bat-outta-hell, driving.

During the trip Marco had to admit that he’d grabbed the “oh-shit” bar at least once when Jean was soaring around curves. How the man had kept a license was beyond him, but at least they arrived in one piece. He probably would have ventured to do something cute, like put his hand comfortingly on Jean’s thigh as he drove, but with the hazardous conditions, ie: Jean’s driving, there was no way in hell he was putting his hands anywhere but on the door, seat belt, or bar above the door. Jean was amazing, but his driving would have terrified a drag racer. Seriously, he had no idea how the man didn’t have thousands of dollars worth in traffic infractions.

When he was pulling up to the house, Marco refused to even unbuckle his seat belt until the keys were far away from the ignition. Jean seemed to be snickering to himself until he saw the relief flood Marco’s face as he stepped out of the car, dropped to his knees, and kissed the asphalt.

“Drama queen,” Jean huffed.

Marco countered quickly “I’ve been shot, yeah? And I fear for my safety more so when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle than when I was in a literal war zone. Drama queen? More like enjoyer of life. Who the _fuck_ gave you a license?!”

“The state,” Jean grinned widely “after two tries, but c’mon on. You can chill out from the drive if it was _that_ scary.” More than ready to get the fuck away from Jean and a car, Marco trailed behind him as he watched Jean unlock the door. Fingerprint locks were still new to him, but he liked that they added an extra element to Jean’s safety. When his safety came to mind so did the walking tank of a man who’d he only seen once. It wasn’t like that guy was hiding behind the petunias anytime soon, but he hadn’t seen him when they arrived. Though it might have been strange, Marco pushed it from his mind and kept Jean in his sights as they moved around the house. The house was still unfamiliar to him, so he needed all Jean’s help in locating things.

Following him down to the basement felt a bit more than odd, but once inside he immediately understood why he’d been led down. Jean had converted his basement into a gym, and when the word gym came to his mind that was exactly what he meant. The boy had more machines down there than he even knew what to do with. Did one guy really need that much equipment? Marco preferred his workouts the old fashioned way, but a little use of machines was perfect. All of this was just overkill. The plasma mounted above the opposite wall was probably nice to make liberal use of as well, especially if he was going to blast some music through it.

He wasn’t a fan of eating much before a workout, since he only planned to be active for a little bit. It wasn’t like he was doing anything intensive, but his worry fell to Jean. If Jean was going to be working out longer than a hour and a half or so then he’d prefer him to eat, but it wasn’t like he could force that idea on him. When he finished he could just sneak into the kitchen and cook for him. He did promise to cook, and there was no way that Jean was going to be able resist anyhow. With his plan in mind, Marco began his work out with some stretching. The second Jean showed back up in a pair of tight, lime shorts and no shirt, however, he suddenly found himself lacking focus.

Noticing Marco’s slack-jawed expression, Jean grinned and began his own stretching before asking if Marco would like to help out. All he had to do was give him the opportunity, and he jumped like a dog given the command. It wasn’t as if he could be faulted at all; that was his boyfriend. Just the thought of that echoing in his head was still new and odd. It’d been look long since he genuinely cared for someone as much as they did for him. Jean was different than the rest, and it was certainly evident with the way that he decided to mercilessly tease him. Though Marco was more than content doing his usual run on a treadmill, having to do so behind Jean as he did a bit of yoga to limber up was pure, unadulterated hell.

Bending to his toes, bending over to stretch his back, flipping back…it was a bit much to handle. In order to block out Jean from his mind, Marco plugged in his earbuds and drowned out all sound. Running for a couple miles, stopping for some squats, going to back to do a sprint, coming back for bicep curls, and another sprint; his workout wasn’t exactly known for being easy or for the faint heart. Catching Jean’s questioning gaze as he began to do what his unit used to call peacock push ups, or push ups that were meant to be showy such as clapping between dips, one handed, or doing them with dumbbells. Supersets only drew more attention.

Not seeing any place for a pull-up, Marco wiped the sweat from his brow and decided to just use the machine nearest to his left. Tossing off his shirt, prefering to use it only to wipe away his sweat, Marco easily grabbed the top ledge on the machine, crossed his knees, and continued on with his workout. What he hadn’t noticed was that Jean had stopped just to observe him. Part of him was too focused on watching the muscles in Marco’s back move, but mostly he was curious as to just how intense Marco’s workout was. Maybe he could be his new trainer? It’d been a long while since he’d last had one, but Marco’s workout seemed to push the boundary of intense.

As Marco dropped off the machine, Jean smoothed a hand up his spine. Quick to turn, Marco had easily seized a grip on Jean’s wrist. Staring wide eyed at Marco’s surprising action, Jean just sighed. He should have known better than to touch him when Marco couldn’t hear him. 

Taking out his earbuds, Marco caught his breath “Dammit, Jean, you _can’t_ surprise me like that.”

“Sorry,” Jean shrugged before raising his wrist “can I have it back now?”

“Depends,” Marco grinned before stepping closer “what exactly did you want?”

Jean gave him a smirk “Hmm, I wonder. What exactly can you bench, Marco?”

Brows knitting in confusion, Marco chuckled “Haha, why? Want me to try to bench you, Jean? That’d be too easy, but I wouldn’t have a spotter that way. You could lay on my back and do your bicep curls, and I would still be okay.”

“Let’s test that then Mr. Big Talk,” Jean posed as he broke his wrist free. Knowing he’d already said it, Marco sighed to himself and laid down on the floor. When Jean returned, dumbbells in hand, Marco grumbled under his breath. This was not what he had in mind for their morning work out date, but oh well, as long as Jean was having a bit of fun it didn’t matter if it was at his expense. He knew how much Jean weighed, at least roundabout, so he expected a mass on his back. Interestingly enough, however, Jean was a bit lighter when he matched his shoulders to his own and laid out across his body. Dipping down to do his push ups had forced a slight snicker from his lips as Jean scrambled to keep his balanced.  
  
After about three, Jean stepped off Marco’s back “Jesus Christ, Marco. You think you could train me that well?”

Taking a moment to get to his feet, Marco dabbed the sweat from his skin “You don’t want me to put you through my work out, babe. I’d make you puke in the first day.”

“So have all my trainers,” Jean brushed off “but you provide better incentives.”

“Yeah? Like what?” Marco questioned curiously before adding in “And what happened to your last trainer, huh?”

Folding his arms over his chest, Jean huffed “He liked my ass a little _too_ much for my liking. Fucking troglodyte. As for you? Well, you can bribe me. How hard can it be anyway?”

Unable to prevent himself from laughing, Marco shook his head “Well, for your last trainer? Casually slip me his name and address. You can’t handle it, Jean, I can say that much. You **hate** running.”

“I hate celery too,” Jean grumbled “but I still eat it sometimes. It won’t kill me, and, besides, I need to get a new personal trainer. You seem more than qualified to help me. You wouldn’t want to?”

“Don’t wanna make you hate me,” Marco countered “because I did it for years before it was comfortable. Even now I don’t enjoy doing all of it. It’s hard on the body, but you do it three times a week and rest on off days. I don’t rest, but that’s because I’m used to this work out.”

“Then how about instead of the whole thing, we work up to it?” Jean posed. “You can test my endurance.”

Not one to argue the logic, Marco nodded “Alright, sure, but don’t say that I didn’t warn you. Let’s start when you come back from Monte Carlo. Until then, let me go ahead and get started on breakfast. You finish up down here, grab a shower, and then come to the kitchen.”

“Can you manage not to burn the house down?” Jean teased.  
  
“Probably,” Marco grinned before stealing a chaste kiss “but I’m gonna go shower first.”

“Upstairs, in my bedroom, remember?” Likely having forgotten, Jean made sure to remind him where his bathroom was. There were two downstairs as well, but it was better to get Marco used to going to his bedroom.  
  
Marco nodded “I remember. I’ll see you shortly. Take it easy on yourself.” With another quick peck to the cheek, Marco skipped out of the gym and made for the shower upstairs. He’d not expected the offer from Jean, but if he wanted to stay in shape having someone keep on track would be good. Plus, were it him then he could at the very least make sure that he was taking good care of himself both on the road and at home. While in the shower, it made him think on it a little more. There was no way he wanted him to strain himself or put undue stress on him, but there was still baby steps he could take to work Jean to the level he was at.

It wasn’t going to be easy, but he had more faith in Jean than the man probably had in himself. Needless to say, Marco would begin planning something for Jean when he arrived back from Monte Carlo. He wasn’t even entirely sure how long Jean would be staying, but he needed to prepare more than a work out regime for then. Jean leaving so soon into the honeymoon phase of their relationship felt detrimental, but then again their decade long spat had been gotten past. Perhaps this was just their first test in acclimating to each other’s lifestyles. Each them operated life in a vastly different focus, so understanding how each other ticked was a large part of getting to know one another.

Once out of the shower, Marco continued to think of what he could do for Jean during their distance. Likely, it was going to affect him more anyhow, so while Jean was none the wiser to his plot, Marco began to snoop around the bedroom. There had to be something in there he could use. Discover a notepad in the nightstand drawer, along with a rather interesting assortment of items, Marco began to pen out some little notes. Sticking them to various surfaces, he found the one he greatly preferred was already laid out in the suitcase. Folding them inside and leaving more of a letter-length note inside, he decided it was enough of that. There was still cooking to be done, and if Jean didn’t smell it he’d grow suspicious.

Getting dressed in his usual khaki shorts, plain, white t-shirt, and an olive button down, Marco figured comfort was best when going out. It wasn’t as if he needed to be dressed in anything other than something comfortable; they were just going to the mall. When he finished, he headed downstairs to begin perusing what was available to him in the kitchen. Shockingly, Jean had actually managed to stock his fridge to a somewhat decent scale. Color him surprised when it wasn’t full of fried garbage, because that seemed like something he’d do.

Just as he began to pull things out of the fridge, Jean popped up behind the door “Watcha makin’?” This time it’d been no shock; he was still too heavy on his feet.

“Don’t know yet,” Marco shrugged “I’ll take suggestions?”

“Hmmm,” Jean paused before shrugging “I like omelettes and peppers.”

Understand the request, Marco nodded sweetly “Alright, something easy then. Go shower.”

 _“Or what?”_ Jean lulled as he slipped an arm around Marco’s hips.

Rolling his eyes, Marco sighed “Or there won’t be any breakfast. While I certainly wouldn’t mind to see just how much more you could sweat, you did say that we have things to do, yes? So, priorities first.” Disregarding the perspiration beaded atop his skin, Marco dipped to place a kiss at the junction of Jean’s jaw. Lowering his voice, acquiring a satiny tone, he hummed “We can have some time to ourselves a bit later.” Feeling the shiver rush down Jean’s spine, Marco chuckled and made sure to send a playful smack to his ass once he’d turned to head out of the kitchen. Greeting the action with a smirk, a shake of his head, and a hitched step, Jean continued on his way and let Marco have the reign of his kitchen.

At least Jean’s kitchen spared no expense. He knew for a fact that Jean didn’t do any of his cooking himself. The boy would burn a fucking oven mitt were he to even get near an oven. Chalking it up to his “privileged” lifestyle, Marco had always assumed that not even Carolyn knew how to cook so there wasn’t any knowledge to pass to Jean. With Alexander gone to who knew what obscure region of the world to film, it only made more sense that Jean likely didn’t learn much. Cooking for him was a small thing he enjoyed despite not being able to find too much enjoyment in the act itself. If it was Jean, however, then he knew that he could make him happy, and making Jean smile was something he’d do at any chance.

Finally getting started on cooking, once he located the tools required, Marco plugged in his earbuds and set to work. Jean’s kitchen was quite large, and the island in the center made a great place to store his ingredients so that he could focus on watching things. He needed an uncluttered area, and Jean’s rather exquisite kitchen provided more than enough space. Dancing around while cooking and cleaning after immediate use made things a bit fun, and it caused time to pass him by much faster. Thankfully, time had passed him by so quickly that he’d not even heard Jean’s shower stop.

By the time he moving their food onto the plates, Jean was slinking back down the stairs. Dressed in a pair of form fitting jeans, a black undershirt, and a floral patterned sports coat. Oddly enough he found it quite fitting for Jean, the white base was accentuated with bright lavender and black flowers. Charcoal lined his stunning amber eyes giving them a bit more vibrancy. Everything about Jean’s appearance was perfectly manicured. Preening to his level would have taken a normal man hours, but he seemed to have done it in only one. Floored, Marco could only stare in amazement.

“Do I look bad?” Jean posed with a slight grimace pulling at the corners of his lips.

“Quite the contrary,” Marco hummed “I’ve never seen someone look so enthralling. Breakfast is done, so come and eat.”

Jean stepped closer to accept his plate “Thank you, on both things. Are you sure you wanna go out to the mall? I….I don’t think I wanna hide anything if we go. I’d like to be remotely normal before I have to leave tomorrow night.”

Taken back by his boldness, Marco sat down his fork “If that’s what you want, Jean, okay. We’ll go at whatever pace you want, so if you wanna go out to the mall all out and semi-normal then that’s fine. I still want you to protect yourself though.”

“Aww,” Jean cooed teasingly “isn’t that what _you’re_ for?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Marco gave him a soft nod “Yeah, I guess so. Now, let’s finish eating and get started on the day.” Jean agreed and set to finishing his breakfast. He’d seemed a bit surprised that Marco had been able to do quite a bit given the time he’d been upstairs getting ready. Finishing off their breakfast, the two began to prepare for their outing to the local mall. The dishes, of course due to his earlier promise, were washed by Jean before being placed into the dishwasher. Once he’d grabbed the keys they were ready to go. Fortunately for Marco’s stomach, Jean tossed him a pair of keys. They weren’t to the BMW, much to Marco’s surprise and disdain.

Leading him out the side door from the kitchen, Jean walked into the garage attached to the left side of the house. Owning more than a car was a bit average, owning four? He was starting to show his career path for flashy. As they walked in, Marco had to keep himself from swooning. He’d noticed the McLaren sports car Jean kept tucked away for a rainy day, but he’d not led Marco down to drive his Spider. No, he figured he should drive the car he took when he wanted to be a bit less inconspicuous. The Nissan 350Z was still a car that would draw some attention due to its bright aqua paint job, but not nearly as much as his BMW or sports car. Hell, the customized caddy in the back would have drawn even more attention, so he was thankful that Jean opted to forgo opulence and recognition.

“I don’t want you to hurl in my good car,” Jean huffed “so you drive.”

“Uh,” Marco paused “I don’t really feel that comfortable driving someone else’s car.”

Jean snickered “Either drive or I will. Pick one. You could crash this shitty car, and I wouldn’t care. I thought of selling it anyway, so don’t let it get to you. It’s _just_ a car.”

“Sure, _for you,”_ Marco droned before getting into the driver’s seat. There was no way in holy hell that he was letting Jean drive anywhere after having just eaten. No, it was much better this way, but he was going to make sure he drove the speed limit everywhere. So much as a scratch on Jean’s car would feel as if he’d punched him. It may have been going overboard, but he seriously did want to incur any kind of personal guilt over scuffing Jean’s insanely priced vehicle. During the drive it was all he could think about, and not even Jean’s hand on his thigh would change that. He was well aware that it was a gesture to attempt to comfort him, but Jean needed to understand that it wasn’t normal for him to be driving anything but his own car.

When they finally pulled into the parking garage of the mall, Marco heaved a heavy sigh of relief. They’d made it in one piece without any incident. Once he’d parked, Marco glanced over to Jean who seemed to be staring intently out of the window. What exactly was the captivating view? Cars? Doubtful.  
  
“Jean?” Marco called softly, placing a hand on his knee. “Hey, you okay?”

Shaking his head, as if to free his mind from its distraction, Jean sighed “Yes _and no.”_

“What’s wrong?” Marco questioned with heavy concern having sensed apprehension.

“I really wanna step out of this garage, walk into the mall, and not have to hide. I want to be normal, but I don’t know if really _should_. I mean, enough people at this mall, Marco, will take photos of me. By twenty minutes there will be a tabloid about my fucking Starbucks order, but this isn’t about me anymore. It’s about us and what we want. I’ve no doubt snapchat stories will be filled with you at my side, shitty news outlets will have your photos and be asking who you are, and I need to know that you want that right now,” Jean explained. Knowing this had to have been weighing quite heavily on him considering he’d already mentioned it two or three times in the day, Marco unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over the center console.

Framing his face delicately with both hands, Marco kissed him sweetly “I don’t give a damn, Jean, they can do what they want. You think I can’t handle meddlesome? Please. Ultimately, we do what is best for you, Jean. If you want to walk into that mall, stroll around with your glasses on and something concealing your face, I don’t care; I’m not going anywhere.”

Nodding, Jean took Marco’s hand in his own “Okay. If you’re absolutely sure, Marco. I don’t want to have to hide while walking in here. Like I said earlier, I just wanna be normal again, for once.”

“Then c’mon, time to go be two dorks on a date,” Marco snickered before raising Jean’s hand to his lips, brushing a kiss to his knuckles. Being in agreement, Jean unbuckled his seat belt and stepped out of the car. After locking the doors, Marco shut the door and rounded the tail to meet Jean. Intertwining their fingers, the two headed off for the entry to the second floor of the mall. Entering through a department store instead of the main entrance gave them a little bit more secrecy, and it seemed that Jean had their entire route mapped out. His first stop? Coffee.


	4. Starlit Outing

Leading Marco through various turns, Jean wove through the department store to get on the down escalators. Aiming for the Starbucks on the bottom floor, Jean made a bee-line directly for the coffee shop. Marco was just happy to trail along at his side, but he had begun to notice all the staring and harsh whispering. Some part of him hadn’t thought that it would be so bad. Maybe he’d simply underestimated Jean’s popularity? It was near deafening to overhear the slobs that couldn’t be bothered to whisper when they walked past. It’d almost caused a snarl to twitch at his lip. Fortunately, there wasn’t much anyone could do to dull any moment he got to spend with Jean. If he wanted to be normal then goddammit, he’d show Jean what it was like to have their cheesy teenage date.

As soon as they waltzed into the store, eyes jerked right to Jean. Protecting Jean and giving him a little taste of fun, Marco figured that he could kill two bird with one stone. Wrapping around him from behind, Marco rested his chin on Jean’s shoulder while staring up at the menu. He’d not been in a Starbucks in a bit, so he wasn’t entirely sure what he should get. Something cold sounded really nice when he thought to the sweltering heat of the summer waiting for them outside. The more he stared the more he realized that the tea infused with pineapple sounded his style. With the line moving, he wondered what Jean was going to order. The young man behind the counter didn’t seem to be remotely phased by Jean’s appearance, but the young woman behind him seemed to be having issues keeping her eyes on orders.

“Welcome to Starbucks, what can I get for you?” The barista asked chipperly. 

Having no need to rehearse his order, Jean answered “An iced, half caff, ristretto, 3 pump, sugar free, cinnamon, venti, dolce soy skinny latte, please.” Shaking his head as he stepped back, Marco had to pause. Had he even spoken english? What in the hell kinda froo-froo drink was that? Was it even coffee, and if it was then just how much of it? It was so absolutely ridiculous he couldn’t help but laugh, because at the same time it was entirely Jean.

“What?” Jean scowled as he twisted to catch Marco’s laughter.

“Nothin’,” Marco answered with a broad grin. Jean rolled his eyes and about withdrew his card before Marco shook his head “Let me.” When the barista asked for his order, Marco swiftly answered “A grande pineapple tea fusion, please.”

“Alright,” the barista smiled “what name is this under?”

Without pause, Marco replied “Marco.” There was no way in hell he was having the barista announce Jean’s name in that place. Like they needed everyone to hear it. If they knew Jean, then they didn’t need to hear it was him did they? Strategically blocking Jean to the inside, Marco ensure that when they went to sit and wait on their orders that Marco was on the outside. Anyone wishing to get to Jean would have to do so by going through him. Obviously, Jean wasn’t dense, and he was completely aware of Marco’s tactics. It was sweet to him, but a bit unnecessary. 

Leaning his head onto Marco’s shoulder, Jean huffed “You know you don’t need to be on the defensive.”

Marco hummed “Hmmm, I don’t think so. No one is ruining this for us. Not today. Where are we going next?”

Jean glanced up “I think you’d rather wait outside for me on the next place.”

Confused as to why, Marco droned “Yeah? Why?”

“Because I have to go pick up an order at Sephora,” Jean answered as he sat up “and I don’t think you’re the type to----”

“I don’t give a shit if you wanna test every shade of lipstick in the entire store all over my skin or whatever,” Marco interrupted “so I’m not waiting outside anywhere.”

Staring back at him with sparkling eyes, Jean looked as though Marco had just said he was getting an unlimited supply of his froo-froo coffee “Really? You don’t mind? I mean, I could take you up on swatching stuff.”

“Paint me up like a two-bit whore for all I care,” Marco chuckled. “I’ll even hold your bags for you.”

“It’s like I’ve won the man lottery,” Jean teased before perking up as the barista called Marco’s name. “Oh, I can---”

“Not a snowball’s chance in hell,” Marco interjected before standing “you’re coming with me. You’re not going up there by yourself. Someone might try to get your attention, and as far I’m concerned it’s all mine today. They can have you another time.” Pushing back from the table, Marco stood and waited for Jean to do the same before retrieving their drinks. Slipping his hand into Marco’s back pocket, Jean found he liked being snuggled close to him. Marco wasn’t upset at the action, so he gave in and wrapped his arm around Jean’s shoulders to hold him close. While walking out, he noticed the sounds of a camera shutter. Some kid likely forgot to turn it off, but he didn’t even bother looking back in the direction. 

Along their walk, Marco realized that Jean wasn’t as energetic as he had been in leading him into the Starbucks. He didn’t need to ask why, as it was too simple. Jean was enjoying being next to him, and strolling around leisurely was more than relaxing; it was comforting. Being able to take their time and bask in each other’s company wasn’t something they would be able to have often, so slowing down and taking it in was paramount. During their ride on the escalator they couldn’t even be bothered to move apart from one another. Perhaps they were being the overly affectionate couple, but the chance was rare and deserved to be seized. 

When they made it up to the top, Jean just pushed his weight into Marco’s side in order to tell him with turn to take. He’d not recalled the last time he spent so much time in a mall, but it was likely the only time he’d actually found the activity pleasant. What would come next, however, wasn’t likely to be as pleasant. Dating a fashion model would likely mean umpteen trips to makeup stores, so he figured it was as good a time as any to get used to it. Jean pulled away from his embrace to lead him into the retina searing lights of Sephora. Immediately he was met with a wave of conflicting scents that ranged from floral to woodsy.

If a headache was what he gained from just three steps past the door, he didn’t know how well he was going to handle being completely enveloped in the fog. With Jean at his side though, he could probably manage to push through it. Hell, he’d been in far worse situations in his life than a makeup store. How bad could it be anyway? 

“Mr. Kirschtein, a pleasure as always,” came the voice from a woman approaching them head-on. Dressed in a black collared shirt, slacks, and wearing an earpiece, the woman took Marco off guard. That wasn’t the uniform he’d expected from walking into the store. Her chestnut ponytail was perched a bit too high, pulling at her skin, and her hazel eyes stayed glued to Jean. 

Jean gave the woman a smile “Good afternoon, Madelynn. You seem rather lax this afternoon.”

“Ah, well, it is the middle of the week,” she explained “do you want to go ahead and grab your order?”

Shaking his head, Jean chuckled “No, I think I’m going to do a little shopping around first. There’s a couple of things I need to get first.”

Giving Jean a nod, the woman hummed “Mhmm, very good! If there’s anything you need help with, please, let me know. I know you’re a fan of Laiturea, so did you see the new line released?”

“I did,” Jean grinned “I’m actually going to look for the new liners. Can you show me where they are?”

“Of course! Follow me,” Madelynn cooed excitedly before looking back to Marco “that means you too, Sweetheart!” Recoiling, Marco knit his brows and stared blankly. He’d no idea who this woman was. Since she appeared to be on a friendly level with Jean, he’d let her comment slide by. He shook his thought free and began to follow closely behind Jean’s heels while they came to a lighted product display. There were so many products lined up with their testers that he couldn’t even tell what was what. He understood most of it, but the sub-divisions on somethings made his head spin just by looking. It was only when Jean grabbed his wrist that he was jerked from his mind.

Glancing down, Jean sprayed his wrist with some cologne before bringing it to his nose “Oh, I like that! Very good pick Madelynn, I can always trust your tastes. Smell that, Marco.” 

Cringing, Marco shook his head “No thanks. I said you could use me, but I don’t need to add to the headache that punched me in the fucking head when I walked in here. Smells like a whorehouse in here.”

A frown tugged at Jean’s lips “Are you okay? I don’t--”

Putting on a hollow smile, Marco nodded “I’m fine, but I don’t think smelling anything would be too nice. Might aggravate it.”

“You’re right,” Jean agreed “but if you need to go outside then go. There’s no need to worry about me.”

“I’m not leaving you alone, Jean,” Marco reminded.

Gesturing to Madelynn, Jean sighed “Do I look like I’m alone? Madelynn isn’t just the general manager, she’s a friend, and has been putting up with me for almost a year.”

“Let me rephrase,” Marco began “I’m not leaving you with some girl the size of a toothpick.”

“Your new bodyguard is a bit strict, isn’t he? Very serious,” she snickered as she cast a side glance to Jean.

Knowing she wasn’t about to blab his secrets, Jean shook his head “Not my bodyguard, Madelynn, but something that may cause him to be overprotective.”

Hazel eyes widening, the woman placed a hand over her mouth “He is  **not!”**

_ “I am,” _ Marco clarified “so call me what you will. I just don’t like leaving him without someone who will keep rabid fans away from him. No offense, darling, but you don’t look like you’d be able to defend a leaf from a hungry caterpillar.”

“Marco, easy,” Jean sighed “you can protect me just fine from the doorway if you need to. I don’t want you enduring anything necessary either, you know.”

“Been in worse situations, Jean,” Marco reminded him with a laugh “so I can handle the perfume and makeup. Just don’t make me inhale it, okay?”

“Maybe next time,” Madelynn offered with a wink “but you’re right. I’m a lover not a fighter.” Dragging Jean’s attention to the next item, she carried on with describing various notes in some colognes and perfumes. Standing by idly while they gabbed wasn’t even as horrendous as he first assumed it would be. Despite what they may have believed, he was slowly learning things. Taking an interest in Jean’s interests was one way to learn more about him, so picking up on a couple things for the next trip would be surprising for Jean. Maybe he’d even be able to buy him something correctly without help one day. Too many people cast off moments such as the one he found himself in, but he found it more like he was learning more about Jean. That in and of itself made everything worth it.

When Madelynn had to return the register, she left Jean to his own devices as he perused many more sections of the store. Having accepted Marco’s previous offer of holding the bags, Jean made him hold the small shopping tote he’d gotten from Madelynn before she went off to assist other customers. Examining the price tags of the items Jean so casually tossed into the tote, Marco began doing some quick arithmetic to figure out just how much he’d already racked up. To Marco, Jean’s actions seemed a bit careless, but when someone made as much money as Jean just by using their appearance then he could justify the small fortune sitting in the tote. 

By the time Jean had finished his shopping, Marco finishing his drink and hoping Jean wouldn’t keep rubbing random lotions on his arms. At some point he was bound to smell very strange. Jean’s explanation of “If it can make a difference on  _ your  _ skin then it’ll be a delight for mine” didn’t make him feel any better about it either. They arrived at the counter to be met with a petite, redheaded young woman who let out a surprised squeak at Jean’s appearance. Jean held in his laughter, but Marco, not having been used to that, could not. She’d dropped the pen in her hand as she rushed to cover her mouth and rapidly reddening cheeks. 

When Marco hefted the basket onto the counter, Jean got a bit closer and flashed an award winning smile towards the young lady “Breathe, it’s okay.”

“Can’t,” she shrieked, obviously mortified from having such a reaction. Returning from their stock room to bring Jean’s order, Madelynn noticed the poor woman’s reaction.

Apologizing, Madelynn looked to Jean “Forgive her, Jean, she’s _new.”_

“No, no, it’s fine,” Jean replied as he extended his hand across the counter “my name is Jean, obviously you know that, but I don’t know your name.”

“Tabitha,” came the soft answer as she shook Jean’s hand, staring at him as if he was the holy grail.

Jean shook her hand and chuckled “Well, Tabitha, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I come to this store rather often, so you’ll have to get used to seeing me around, okay? I promise I’m pretty normal, and I’ll prove it Tell me, what do you do when you aren’t at work?”

Taking a moment to process, she responded “Uh, I go to the movies with my friends, go dancing, or hang out with my boyfriend.”

Having got her to say exactly what he needed, Jean beamed brilliantly “Then you and I aren’t very different at all.” Leaning back into Marco, he continued “I like hanging out with _my_ boyfriend too. See?”

Rushing her hand back to her mouth, Tabitha shrieked “The photo!! He’s the one from the Instagram photo! **Oh my god!”**

Marco tossed in his two cents “Eh, don’t get too excited. He’s not  _ that _ great. You’d go crazy if you ever had to deal with him. Not to menton, you’d have to compete with him for beauty products. He’s probably the single reason behind the holes in the ozone layer.”

_ “Excuse you,” _ Jean scoffed as he feigned offense, placing a hand over his collarbones.

“Haha!” The moment Tabitha laughed, Madelynn prodded her to ring them up. “I think it’s nice. I promise I won’t say anything about it. Maddy told us that we can’t.”

“Good,” Jean nodded “we’re just like everyone else, okay? We like to have our privacy respected, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t like to have fun. I’ve gone out today with him, people have already seen him with me, so it’s okay. You’ll be able to tell your friends you saw us together soon enough. I’ll even give you a photo if Maddy allows when you finish.” Watching the girl’s caramel eyes turn owlish before all she could do was nod vigorously. Clearly she was too excited to reign it in, but Marco found Jean’s ability to handle the situation simply amazing. At first, she was probably horrified for her initial response, but Jean was so incredibly down to earth that he brought her out of that embarrassment. The way he interacted with his fans was truly beautiful. Perhaps letting them near him from time to time wasn’t horrible.

Once she finished ringing him up, and Marco tried to put his eyes back into his skull at the price total, Jean was more than welcoming for a photo or three. Deigned the photographer, Marco sat down the bags and accepted the girl’s phone to snap a couple of photos. The sheer joy on Tabitha’s face said it all; Jean had made her year just by being so kind to her. It was moments like that when he realized why Jean was in the perfect business. Watching him pose with her, peace signs and even letting her put an arm around his waist as he put his around her shoulder, there was something about it that reminded him of why he’d fallen so head over heel for Jean.   
  
They’d been profusely thanked, both by Tabitha and Madelynn, and then headed off to their stop. Shopping seemed to be a forte of Jean’s, so high-end stores had been in his sights. Marco wasn’t entirely comfortable in the outlets but made due by holding Jean’s things. Every now and again Marco would throw out an opinion, but Jean was more than aware when Marco thought something looked nice on him. Involuntary lip bites or twitches and the slow raking gaze over his body were pretty tell-tale signs. Their last stop of their mall trip caused Marco to quirk a brow in suspicion. Jean walked into a store and ordered him to stand just at the door. He was willing to bet there was something afoot. Kate Spade was a store he’d heard of, he’d bought something for his mother there once before, but he wasn’t sure what exactly Jean could be buying in there while he was out. 

Hearing some gabbing going on, Marco turned to the direction but failed in actively catching a piece of the discussion. All he knew was that Jean bought something, and whatever it was he appeared to be guarding with his life. When he’d offered to take the bag, Jean refused, and didn’t so much as make one peep about the bag. Oh well, maybe he’d figure it out later. They had the entire day to spend together after all.


	5. Musically Motivated

Taking the reins once again in the car, Marco stuffed the tiny backseat and trunk with Jean’s heaping mountain of purchase before heading off. Though he was driving, however, that didn’t mean he had any inkling to where they were headed. Jean was withholding yet another secret he refused to divulge. Along the way, he simply had to follow Jean’s directions and thank the stars that he was a much better navigator than he was a driver. Being clear and concise, giving him a fair heads up when a turn was coming, and keeping the music tuned to a good song was certainly where Jean shined. He needed a navigator like him every time he had to go on a cross city drive.

When they arrived, Marco released a rather audible groan. He should have fucking known. Staring down a tailor’s, Marco cast a glance to Jean who just shrugged and began to get out of the car. Following Jean, Marco turned off the engine and met Jean at the door before they entered together. Inside, Marco’s eyes scanned the broad spectrum of suits on display. It appeared as if Jean was only there to pick something up, and whatever it was he didn’t pay a dime for. Concealed in a suit bag, the mystery ensemble remained just that, and before he knew it they were back on the road again. Running errands with Jean wasn’t a big deal, and he found that he rather liked it. It just felt so beautifully domestic.

By the next series of turns Marco found he knew where they headed, and it was back to Jean’s place. They’d managed to kill a couple hours in the day, but Jean still needed to prepare for tomorrow’s shoot and pack for Monte Carlo. It was going to be a hell of a week for him, the poor babe. Knowing exactly what Jean needed, and had so obviously been starved for, Marco decided the world could wait. The prep for everything could wait, but he could not. Flooring the gas, switching gears, and moving to the fast lane, Marco aimed to make it home in time for a relaxing night in. 

Surprised by his sudden drive, Jean cast Marco a suspicious glance but curbed it once he saw an instinctual smirk tugging at his lips. Jean remembered and knew enough about Marco to know when his gears were turning. If he had something in mind then he was more than willing to go with whatever it was. He trusted Marco, but there was something lurking in his mind. Jean had a feeling that Marco’s ideas were a bit more rated R than they truly were, but no matter what he had in store it wasn’t as if it was going to be bad. During the drive back to the house, Marco was entranced with the road ahead but Jean found a bit of enjoyment in watching him whisper the lyrics to songs as they played.

Once back at Jean’s, Marco gladly assisted with bringing in the metric fuckton of things Jean had bought on their outing. Once dropped off in the bedroom, Marco left Jean only with the idea that he should pack for Monte Carlo while he left. With only a quirked brow in response, Jean stood silently and watched as Marco dashed out the bedroom door. Being left to his lonesome gave him some time to plan and arrange his own surprise for Marco tomorrow. He knew that Marco wanted to come to a shoot, and he’d extended the offer, so he needed to text Kaley to let her know. It would be rather easy, but he was more so worried about the next thing scheduled on his itinerary. 

Unfortunately, Marco had been right, and he needed to pack for Monte Carlo. Being there was already a drag, but being contractually obligated by his employers meant having to suck it up. At least there were things that he could while there to remind him of Marco, and he was pretty sure the man knew how to Skype at least. There was at least some hope that he could manage to have some fun while away, but he knew Marco would begin the school year and be utterly swamped for a bit while acclimating to the semester. It was a lingering truth, but he didn’t want to waste time dwelling on it. He needed to pack the things he’d stolen from Marco in his suitcases before he came back.

Slipping in Marco’s few clothing articles, aside from his fatigue top, Jean began to fold and layer his clothing appropriately. Slipping in his suits, however, required an entirely different bag to add to his travel ensemble. There was so much packing to be done, and some things would have to wait to be packed until he was ready to leave. Getting ready for the shoot would require all the skin-care items he needed to pack, so he decided to make a list on his phone and then push away the suitcases. He just wanted to focus on Marco for a bit, so he slipped out of his attire and down to his boxers. Slinging on Marco’s fatigues, Jean opted to head downstairs to the kitchen and grab a snack. 

If he recalled correctly, he knew that he’d bought strawberries as a snack and hadn’t yet eaten any. Having a couple would be a good moment before having an early dinner. Much to his surprise, the moment he plucked a strawberry from its container and took a bite, Marco walked into the kitchen holding grocery bags. 

Finishing the strawberry, Jean just shrugged _“Hey.”_  
  
Snickering as he watched Jean flick the top of the strawberry into the trash can, Marco shook his head “Hah, you couldn’t wait a few more minutes? I’ll be making dinner, so why don’t you pop a bottle of chardonnay and lounge?”

“Sounds good to me,” Jean hummed “and I’ll have you know that I just wanted a little snack.”  
  
Finding Jean’s attire more than a bit rousing, Marco nodded “Mhmm, I could go for a snack myself. Why don’t you grab me one while I’m getting things ready?” Without hesitation, Jean slid across the tile flooring to place his hands on either side of Marco’s opened buttoned down and tugged him closer. Kissing him sweetly, loving the lingering hints of the strawberry laden on his tongue, Marco hadn’t thought he’d considered himself the snack. Figuring to be as good of a snack as any, Marco placed a gentle hand to the back of Jean’s neck to keep him there for just another fraction of a minute.

As he pulled back, Jean smiled “Or did you want a strawberry instead?”

“I think I got both with that,” Marco beamed “but what a great welcome home gift. I could look forward to that every day.”

Perfectly content with the idea, Jean looped his arms around Marco’s waist “I can probably manage that. How long is food gonna take?”

“About a half hour, give or take some minutes,” Marco answered “so if there’s something you wanna watch on TV go ahead.”

“Hope you like musicals,” Jean teased before venturing to his wine cooler to pop open a bottle of chardonnay as Marco had insisted. While moving to set up their background noise before getting to the wine, Jean grabbed the television remote and began to flip through the various options presented to him. Only when he saw something intriguing did he stop. If there was one thing that Jean loved, it was musicals. Going out to Broadway was one of his favorite things to do when he was in New York, so he wondered how Marco would handle hearing and or watching one. If he could sit through it, he’d applaud him and perhaps he’d even get to drag Marco along with him to go see one in person. It sounded quite refreshing to him, as it would be one of the first times he’d ever be able to do so.  
  
Selecting the movie, Jean placed it on the title and began to peruse the latest issue of Alternate Anarchy sitting on his coffee table. Curling up with a magazine while waiting on his boyfriend to cook all the while a movie began? Well, it was already shaping up to be a delight. Only when he finished reading an article about lab produced leather product, did he return to pour himself a glass of wine. Noticing Marco singing as the first song began to play, Jean was floored. So completely enamored by Marco’s singing, he nearly missed the opening of his glass!   
  
_“~Colossal we come these renegades in the ring, where the lost get found in the crown of the circus king,~”_ Marco sang to himself as he was moving about the kitchen. 

Staring on in wonder for a few seconds, Jean couldn’t help himself as he chimed in with _“~Where it's covered in all the colored lights; where the runaways are running the night!~”_

Turning, Marco grinned “You know, I love this movie.”

“Me too,” Jean chuckled excitedly “but musicals? Doesn’t seem like your cup of tea, so to speak.”

“Actually I really love musicals. I love music, and getting to watch something unfold as the arrangements throughout the piece invoke natural emotion is really breathtaking,” Marco commented thoughtfully “so I tend to watch them every now and again. Didn’t strike you as a fan either.”

“High society is full of people asking if you’ve attended the latest showing of something on Broadway,” Jean shrugged “but I learned to love it after a while. Everyone has their own enjoyable genres inside the genre though.”

Marco nodded as Jean handed him a glass of wine “Quite true. Now, go enjoy it. Give me about 45 minutes to get everything prepared.” Kissing Jean’s temple, Marco sent him back to the sofa where he proceeded to curl up with his magazine and glass of wine. Part of Marco just wanted him out of the kitchen; he couldn’t stand other people being in the kitchen while he cooked. The other part of him didn’t want him seeing what he was creating, because he knew that he’d smell it soon enough.

One thing Jean loved was seafood, and Marco enjoyed it a good bit himself.  Having been able to snag fresh salmon was one good thing of having butcher shops who knew how to properly fillet. Another added benefit of fresh fish was that when cooked it wouldn’t stink up the house. Knowing how to prepare the dinner was the entire finesse of it all, as moving fish before it was done would result in ripping it apart and therefore destroying the cut. The skin side of the fish was always cooked down and would naturally come away from the pan when finished. If there was one good thing his mother ever taught him, it was how to cook properly. 

As he finished preparing the sides for their dinner, Marco began to plate their meal. Bringing it to Jean with cutlery and their bottle of wine, Marco grinned as he watched the smile widen on Jean’s face. He could tell that it was more than appreciated, so he ventured back to the kitchen to gather his own dinner before joining him. Sitting mostly in silence as they ate, each of them kept their attention on the television. Each of them became entirely engrossed into the film even once they’d already eaten. Glasses of wine still in hand, Jean had lain his back on Marco’s chest as they both stretched out and found themselves belting out the songs from the musical. Once again, at complete ease with himself and the scenario, Marco draped his arm over Jean’s shoulder and kept him close. He didn’t want their moment to end; it was fun, it was warm, but mostly it was Jean exactly as he’d remembered him.

Sadly, it had to. When the movie was over it jolted him back to the harsh reality that he only had a precious few hours with Jean remaining. Tomorrow night he’d be jetting off to France for an entire week, and he’d have to begin to learn how to handle Jean’s hectic lifestyle. It was the first test, and he’d not studied. It was odd to be the person on the other side of the coin. Typically, he was the one leaving, he was the one away while a lover waited on bated breath for him to return. Oh, how dangerously the tables had turned on him. What was it going to be like to finally be the one waiting? Well, all he knew was that he was a patient man, and waiting on Jean for ten years meant he could wait a week.

Yawning, Jean stretched out before placing his glass down on the coffee table and rolling onto his side. Glancing up to Marco, enchanting umber eyes capturing him as he held his gaze, Jean smiled before sipping his arms around Marco. One pushing beneath his back and the other draped around his midsection, Jean clung to his side with his back against the back of the couch and stayed firmly there. For a moment Marco was curious, but in the next he understood. Just wanting to be held, Jean attached himself to him, so Marco turned to face him. Brushing his fingers through Jean’s streaked forelock as he nuzzled into his chest, Marco sighed contentedly.   
  
“Do you wanna stay tonight?” Jean mumbled into his chest.

Barely able to decipher his words, Marco tugged on his earlobe to get him to look up “What?”

“Stay with me,” Jean rephrased “I told you that I want you to come with me to my shoot tomorrow. Will you? I want you to see what I do.”

“Of course,” Marco agreed “I’d love to, but that means you likely are gonna need to get to bed early after doing your skincare regimen.”

Puffing out his bottom lip, Jean huffed “Just one actually. It doesn’t matter what time---”

Rolling his eyes at the incoming deflection, Marco asked simply “What time is the shoot?”

Answering, Jean grumbled “11am.”

“Then we need to get bed,” Marco hummed as he prodded Jean “because you’ll be _cranky_ if you don’t sleep. I need to drive to the apartment and grab some clothes. I can be back by the time you’re about to lie down.” 

“Or we can stop by in the morning,” Jean provided with a bat of his lengthy lashes, hoping to lure him into staying.    
  
Marco shook his head “It’ll be easier this way, and I promise I’ll even take you to the airport tomorrow night. How about that?”

Nodding, Jean agreed “Okay, I can accept those terms. Promise you’ll be back when I’m getting into bed?”   
  
“Promise,” Marco vowed with a nod before Jean stole a kiss. Popping up, Jean slinked up the stairs without so much as a look back. If he hurried, perhaps Marco would be back before he even knew what happened! Not even Marco could disagree with Jean’s logic, as he too wished to move as quickly as he could. Driving back out at night to his apartment would take around a half hour, but luckily for him Jean’s bedtime routine was immense the night before a shoot. There was enough time to get there, run in, and get the hell back out. If he really laid his foot in the car he could probably shave down a few minutes on either side of the commute.

Thankfully, Marco managed to cut off more than a couple minutes thanks to the fact there was little to no traffic so late on a weeknight. Hastily searching about his apartment, Marco found that he had no idea how to dress for something like Jean’s photoshoot. What was the atmosphere going to be like? Did he need to dress casually or professionally? It was too difficult to decide in the moment, so he did what any person would choose to do; he took two outfits. There was no time to waste figuring out anything else. If he were late he knew that he’d never hear the end of it from Jean. Gathering up his things once they were neatly packed, Marco checked on Kelani, grabbed his medications, and then headed back to the car. 

During the short drive, Marco began to wonder what he was going to do as Jean’s guest at the shoot. Was he simply supposed to stand off to the side and watch? Fetch him coffee? There was something increasingly more terrifying about the entire idea the more he thought on it. Not knowing what he was supposed to do coupled with the fact he’d be in an entirely different world pushed his mind into overdrive. He hadn’t the slightest idea how to act around those people, and Jean was his only link to the inner workings of higher society. Trusting Jean would be paramount to navigating tomorrow, and he only hoped that Jean would be able to assist.

Back at Jean’s, Marco hurried up to the bedroom but made sure to turn off the lights downstairs. Jogging up the stairs, Marco crept into the bedroom to see Jean curled up on the bed, fast asleep, with the lights dimmed and the fan on high. With a soft laugh to himself, Marco rounded the bed and sat his belongings down and decided to go have a quick shower. Something about the whole situation reminded him of a placidity that he’d always longed for. Never once had he seen a man asleep already and just wanted to hold him, to be enveloped with everything he was, or to bask in the warmth of his touch. Jean was everything he yearned for, but only their separation would tell if they would be able to keep things up.

Chauffeuring Jean to the airport would be the beginning of their second test, and one of the most important ones, but he had a feeling that it would go rather smoothly. They’d been apart for most of their lives, so it only stood to reason their distance in miles wouldn’t be able to touch the years they’d spent in different emotional regions. Having hope was new, but with Jean it seemed as if every small thing was new. A laugh, a smile, a casual touch; it was all something he’d experienced with others but never to the amount he’d had with Jean. For once, he wanted more than he was being given and that was frightening. To Marco, it was a horrifying prospect as he would slowly begin giving pieces of himself to Jean.  

He knew all too well what happened when people began to intertwine themselves. There was a greater risk of being hurt, and he wasn’t entirely sure if he was prepared for the fall. Being with Jean had given him so much already, but there was still much more to give and more to take. Relationships were unknown territory, and if there was anything that put Marco on edge it was not knowing what he was going into. With Jean, there was so much of his life that he didn’t understand how to navigate. The learning curve was steep, and he was up shit creek without a paddle. Only Jean would be able to teach him what to do, and the fact it was going to hit him bright and early at 11am was nauseating. 

Learning how to say and act appropriately, so as to not discredit anything Jean did or said would be difficult, but he was ready to take the plunge. It was going to require an extra dose of his medication, or three, but doing something for Jean? He’d never fault in his path to make sure he stayed happy. Sacrificing a small bit of his comfort to learn something that would help them both, while getting to understand Jean’s job a bit more, was well worth it. The finer points of being in a relationship with Jean were beginning to reveal themselves, but only time would tell if he was cut out for it. Wishing so desperately to be able to be cut out for it was one thing, but giving everything he had in order to be what Jean needed of him was another. To Marco, he’d had life be exponentially worse than some snotty types with their heads up their asses, so there wasn’t much that was going to deter him in doing what was best for Jean.

Should he find himself getting a bit uneasy there were several remedies for it. A hot shower had at least given him the time to relax and think through his apprehensions that the photo shoot was bringing with it. Part of him thought he should have spoken to Jean about it considering that was something Jean wished of him. Sharing his thoughts, however, meant exposing a weakness and, though he trusted Jean, he didn’t believe he was to the point of sharing his own failings just yet. While getting out of the shower, he was reminded of just how idiotic the idea was while he knew that Jean wished him to express himself more. Standing in front of Jean’s full length mirror, damp towel tied loosely around his hips, baring each of the imperfections and scars, Marco hesitantly brushed his fingers over his skin. 

Each mark reminded him of how his actions had led to each of them; each of his poorly executed actions. Though his course of action may not have been the smartest, he still wished to conceal the majority of his fears. There would be another time for this, perhaps when his fears would be warranted. At the moment, however, he felt as if there wasn’t enough between them for him to feel so inadequate. He’d not even met these people yet, and he could simply be overreacting. Were he to make an absolute fool of himself, this was not the way he wished to do so. The last thing he needed was to appear as less than himself over something so trivial. 

Jean had seen so much of his identity in such a short amount of time, but that meant nothing in regards to how Marco’s thoughts were processed. Despite Jean urging him to spill his guts on his past, Marco wasn’t convinced that completely tearing open his wounds was the right path for now. If he just casually attempted to pick up on the environment then he should be alright, but he’d at the very least need to ask of the dress code for such an event. Perhaps he _ was  _ overthinking it? No matter, there was still too much he didn’t like airing. Was it too much to want to enjoy their honeymoon phase? They could dig into his monstrous bad habits later, but for now he was sure he didn’t need to divulge that he was worried about doing something wrong, that he was terrified to be around those people, or that he feared he wouldn’t fit into Jean’s life.   
  
Brushing his hair straight back and out of his face, Marco figured a pair of boxers was good enough dress for the night. Jean’s cold nature led him to seek out his warmth, and he’d overheat were he to actually get dressed past that. Even with the fan on high he ran the risk of sweating if he were to throw on so much as a thin shirt. As he stepped out of the bathroom he’d noticed that Jean had been tossing and turning in his sleep. Spread out across the bed, Jean’s limbs were splayed and the blankets around him had been kicked off. Leaving the comforter to pool at his knees, Jean clearly was too deep into his slumber to hear Marco fixing things up a bit. Knowing they were soon to depart, Marco wanted to make sure that Jean carried a larger piece of him. It’d give him a daily reminder, so when he noticed Jean’s open suitcase he dropped an item inside and then made his way to the bed. Dragging up the blankets, Marco carefully draped them over Jean before climbing into bed alongside him.

Without much issue, Marco was able to lie on the left side of the bed and get comfortable. He’d not expected Jean to be asleep when he’d gotten back, as he didn’t think he’d taken so much time, but at least this way he knew Jean was getting some sleep. There was going to be a lot happening tomorrow, so Jean needed every bit of rest he could. Turning on his side, Marco brought the blankets to his neck and closed his eyes. Luckily, having thought so extensively had helped clear his mind to a degree, but some nagging thoughts pestered him even as he attempted sleep. Only when Jean blindly wrapped around him could he even find himself able to relax. Whatever it was about that desperate touch that set his troubled mind at ease he didn’t know, but there was something deeply comforting and secure about Jean’s hold on him. With such a warmth building in his chest, Marco was finally able to drift off to sleep.


	6. A New Step

Hearing the cacophonous ring of Jean’s alarm sound nearby, Marco grumbled and cracked open an eye just in time to see Jean sprint over and grab his phone. Was Jean up before he was? Talk about odd. Jean was typically a heavy sleeper, but perhaps he’d just woken up at some point and decided on a jump start to the day. No matter the reasoning, Marco grumbled and decided to see what Jean was up to.Seeing Jean half naked with some sort of glittery cerise colored goop covering his face and his hair pinned out of his face was a bit of a shock. Making a joke about the substance on his face would likely not end well, so instead Marco simply reached out a hand to Jean’s hip.   
  
Jumping as Marco’s fingertips brushed his skin, Jean jerked his head to see a lazy smile forming on his lips “Good morning, Marco, sorry to wake you. It’s still early. Why don’t you sleep more?”

As Jean took a seat on the edge of the bed, Marco hummed “Hmm, I might, but I don’t know the protocol for this kinda thing. What am I supposed to wear?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Jean shrugged as he placed his hand gently atop Marco’s “so you can sleep all you wish. You must’ve gotten home late last night. Was traffic bad?”

“Not really, no, it was more like by the time I got back you’d already conked out,” Marco teased.

Huffing, Jean rolled his eyes “Well if you’d been on time I wouldn’t have fallen asleep.”

“Mhmm, I know,” Marco answered before nearly sticking a fingertip into Jean’s glitter mask.   
  
Recoiling whilst smacking Marco’s hand away from his face, Jean screeched “Stop! Don’t touch it! It’s drying!”

“What the fuck even is it? Does it even  _ do  _ anything?” Marco questioned.   
  
“It firms the skin and gives a nice glow,” Jean answered “and the glitter is environmentally safe!”

Snickering, Marco arched a brow “You know, they say there are far cheaper methods for such effects. High in collagen, but it lacks glitter I’m afraid. I hear it’s also edible.”

Disgusted, Jean grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Marco as he got to his feet “Ugh, you’re disgusting!” 

Before he could stomp off in a tiff, Marco grabbed his wrist as the pillow thwacked his chest “Aww, I was only kidding. Why don’t you help me get ready? I’ll let you pick which outfit I wear.”

Thinking it over, Jean nodded “Fine, fine, what did you bring?” Marco gestured to the chair where he noticed Marco had sat his things. Peering through the options, Jean sighed “Really, Marco?”

Concerned, Marco sat up “What?”

“You brought a suit,” Jean chuckled “and jeans, a t-shirt, a button down, loafers…were you that confused?”

Attempting to conceal his immediate response, Marco schooled himself “A bit. I don’t belong in places like that, Jean, so I’ve no idea what to wear, how to act, or, if I’m being honest, anything about this ordeal. You have to be the one to tell me what is right and wrong. I need a thorough briefing on shit like this.”  
  
“Briefing? Uh, there’s really not much to say,” Jean began as he stepped closer to Marco “I’m gonna be doing my own thing for a couple hours. It’s gonna be boring, so you can just sit and watch me, go smoke, plan your classes, or do whatever you want. There’s no protocol here. You just can’t distract me, and there will be people from several different places there. I’ve got a hair team, a makeup team, a wardrobe team, a photographer, my manager, my partner and her manager plus her team. There’s gonna be a bunch of people doing behind the scenes stuff, so no one is gonna be breathing down your throat. It’s gonna be okay. You don’t have to worry so much, Marco, I can see it in your eyes. You’re worried you’re gonna mess something up? Don’t be, there’s nothing to mess up. Now, c’mon, up and at ‘em. You need to get dressed.”

Sighing, Marco raised a hand to his head “Will there ever be a time I can hide something from you? Look, Jean, I know what you want from me in terms of emotional availability in this context, but I just don’t think explaining this situation with what you’re looking for is a good idea.”

“Why the hell not?” Jean replied flatly as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t need you to protect me. I don’t think you’re some infallible man there to save the day were something to happen. You’re my boyfriend. I want you there to support me, to understand what an average day is for me, and so people can start to see you with me. It’s not some minefield, Marco, you don’t need to have everything mapped out in fear of stepping in the wrong place. Yes, your behavior is a reflection on me, but that doesn’t mean that everyone I’m surrounded by is going to pick you apart. They know you’re new to this kinda fast paced, no privacy having, carefully constructed hell. Tell me what you’re so fucking afraid of.”

Having just woken up, Marco grumbled and dropped his head in his hands “It’s too damn early for this shit.” Glancing up, Marco began to carefully explain himself “Yes, I want to see everything about your life, the work you love so dearly, and the way your job works. Unfortunately, I cannot turn my brain off. I can’t sit here and tell myself that not knowing everything is okay. I’ve been trained for years to not make choices until I had every possible fact I could gather. Going in blind is a death sentence, Jean, and I’ve been in that situation more times than I care to remember. There’s so much I don’t know about all this, and it’s driving me absolutely crazy. I don’t want to be seen as someone unfit to be at your side, Jean. I don’t want to be unable to fit into your life.”

Peeling off his face mask, Jean paused only to discard the material before climbing onto the bed and into Marco’s lap “Look at me, Marco, and really hear me when I say this: you don’t get to fucking decide if you’re unfit to be by my side. I’m the _ only _ person who can decide that, so get that out of your head right now. Those fucking people and their opinions do not matter to me one bit. You can’t learn it all until you experience it firsthand, but on the drive I can tell you whatever you need to feel at least a bit better. You have been in far worse situations than a photoshoot, Marco, and you will come out of it just like you did the others. If you feel like this then you  _ need _ to talk to me. Stop fucking thinking I won’t notice when something is bothering you. I’d rather you tell me than risk bottling it up and constantly hurting yourself with it.  _ Please,  _ don’t do that to yourself. I’m honest with you, and at times it’s so fucking hard to be, but I expect the same courtesy. You and I both know if I were holding things in you’d shake them out of me.” 

Resting his head on Jean as he wrapped his arms around his waist, Marco sighed “You’re going to kill me, Jean, likely very slowly at this rate. I’m not made for these conversations, you know. I understand that only you can say that, but it doesn’t prevent me from thinking it. My anxiety is not a pretty beast, Jean, and it doesn’t play well with logic; it overrides it. Moments like these are the ones that make me understand I still can’t hide anything from you. It’s been a decade, but you can still read me like a goddamned book. You’re the only one to see beneath the happiness and hollow smile and still want to be here. Is it so horrible of me to just want to be the best person I can be while at your side? I don’t want you to have to babysit me when I’m out with you. I need to be able to operate without you having to expressly inform me on how to behave and what the situation dictates of me.”

Skimming his fingers soothingly down Marco’s back, Jean responded softly “I’ll kick your anxiety’s ass. You’re the most logical person I know, Marco, and I highly doubt I’ll have to watch how you act. This isn’t some red carpet, though I may take to one of those in future should I be invited, and you don’t have to worry. The camera is going to be on me, not on you. Yeah, things may have a changed a good bit between us, but there are some habits you just haven’t broken yet. Being afraid to be seen as weak by the people you care about? That’s been stamped on your head since we met, Marco. Your emotions and fears do not make you weak, they make you human. As much as you set my endless stream of worry at ease yesterday, allow me to do the same for you, okay? We’re in this together, you’re not alone, and I’ll be damned if I ever let you feel that way.”

“Too good of a man to be at my side,” Marco mumbled to himself before lifting his head to hold Jean’s gaze. “Can you tell me what I need to know while I get ready?”   
  
Kissing his forehead, Jean beamed brightly “Of course. First, however, I want a kiss.”

“I’ve not brushed my teeth yet, Jean,” Marco replied with an arched brow.

Jean shrugged “Your dragon breath isn’t about to scare me away now.” Marco could only chuckle at Jean’s eagerness before Jean stole a sweet kiss from his lips. Moments such as those would be sorely missed while Jean was jetting off to Monte Carlo, but it reminded him to enjoy it. Nearly his every worry about the event was fading with Jean’s words echoing in his head. He should have known hiding anything from Jean was futile. Out of everyone Marco knew there were very few of them who would be able to tell when he was concealing something. Even when they were teenagers, Marco couldn’t ever hide anything from Jean, and that was because he had a subconscious tell. 

“So, just what should I wear exactly?” Marco posed as he backed away from Jean’s embrace.   
  
“Can I pick? We’ve no dress code, as I said, but I’d really enjoy getting to dress you a bit,” Jean grinned excitedly.

Brows furrowing, Marco groaned “I’m not a Ken doll, Jean.”

“Might as well be,” Jean teased “only more endowed, hmm?” Jumping off the bed to entice Marco to give chase, Jean darted over to his closet. Giving into Jean’s antics, Marco climbed out of bed and followed Jean over to his closet. Some part of him should have expected the massive walk-in, but he was still absolutely floored by the amount of clothing and accessories that one man could possess. Who in the world needed a wardrobe so fucking extensive?! Well, models probably, and Jean was an icon in his industry.   
  
Dragging him into the closet, Jean grabbed his wrist and began to lay various colored dress shirts against him. Great. Did Jean plan on dressing him to the nines? Oh well, this was his first impression among Jean’s colleagues and friends. Making a decent first impression was always on his list, so if Jean wanted to dress him as he saw fit then he’d allow it. Having taken his blazer, t-shirt, and jeans, Jean constructed him a rather basic outfit but couldn’t wait to accessorize him. Matching the pocket square to a soft charcoal of his t-shirt, Jean nodded while staring him down before moving to the next piece. Fitting him with a hefty silver watch on his left wrist and a couple leather and thin thread bracelets for his right, finding a pair of silver hoops for his cartilage, and grabbing the perfect cologne for him, Jean was happily dressing him. 

If Marco had assumed that Jean would leave him be at that he was terribly mistaken. Afterwards, Jean tugged him to the bathroom where he was going to finish up his own regime and wait for Marco to finish his own. Moisturizing his skin and deciding to leave his hair untouched, Jean moved through his routine quickly. When it was clear he was done, Jean began to rake his fingers through Marco’s hair. With it dusting the tops of his ears, Jean wanted to tame it a bit. With some tinted hair wax, Jean began to style Marco’s hair to the right just a hint. Laying down the left and giving him just a hint of violet, a nod to their olden days, Jean messily styled Marco’s hair. Combining the mix of the styles that Marco kept, being a soft line of edgy and business casual, Jean stared down his work with great approval.   
  
“Not bad, Mr. Bodt,” Jean smirked as he gestured to the full length mirror.    


Staring at himself, Marco arched a brow “Not what I would have done, but you did very well. I like it, but I have to ask: was the wax necessary?” 

“Hmm, with the amount of product in your hair that you use to keep it perfectly coiffed, Mr. School Teacher, I would say it’s a vast improvement,” Jean countered “and it’s much easier to do, though school policy likely wouldn’t like the colored varieties.”

Marco shook his head “No, they probably wouldn’t. I could probably get away with it a time or two though. I’ve done worse for spirit week, haha. I think you’re just attached to the purple hair.”

Clinging to him from behind, Jean hummed “Mhmm, I am. It reminds me of you at 17 when you thought your ripped sleeves and bad attitude was cool.”

“Need I remind you, Jean,” Marco teased playfully as he turned in his arms “that you found it wildly attractive?”

“Quite true,” Jean whistled before glancing back to the clock “but it looks as though I need to throw something on so we can leave.” Opting for comfort knowing that he’d be in and out of clothing for the next couple hours, Jean grabbed a pair of navy sweats, a white tank top, and a thin navy and black cotton jacket. He looked the definition of comfortable as he tossed on his sunglasses and ran a comb through his hair just for his final moments of preening. Handing Marco the car keys as he grabbed a short duffel bag, Jean was ready to finally get to the studio. Steeling himself for the first real step into Jean’s world, Marco walked at his side until they got out to the garage. It was then that Jean flashed him a giddy grin before retrieving the keys for his pearlescent white McLaren 675LT Spider.    
  
Shaking his head, Marco couldn’t accept the keys “Oh hell no, I’m driving that, Jean! That thing is worth more than my entire apartment building!”

“You drive the Nissan just fine, Marco, so what’s the difference? Just try to keep your foot out of it, ‘cause this bitch will go. She’s  _ very _ easy to speed in,” Jean beamed proudly, knowing that Marco was going to have agree unless he wanted to be in the car with him behind the wheel.    
  
Narrowing his eyes, Marco grit his teeth “Fine.” Catching the keys as Jean tossed them, Marco huffed to himself. Jean could nearly get him to do anything with a bat of those gorgeous fucking eyes. Immediately, Marco was stunned as he stood back from the car. Jean opened the door and Marco watched as it tilted on its axis. Despite knowing of the term “butterfly doors,” Marco hadn’t ever gotten the opportunity to see them in person. Momentarily mesmerized would have been an understatement as he watched Jean slide down into the low bucket seat. Following suit, Marco tried to swallow the knot in his throat and practically fell into the low riding car. Just how the fuck did the car handle speed bumps? He was guessing not well. 

Jumping as the doors lowered themselves, Marco had to give himself a moment to get acclimated in the third-of- a-million-dollar sports car. Turning the engine over came with the vibration of his foot on the brakes. He’d never had a car that felt as though it’d literally roared to life with a start. Before putting it into drive, Marco checked his mirrors and looked to Jean. Of course he was all smiles and taking selfies for his social media accounts. Part of him was scared to death to take both hands off the wheel, but he really wanted to touch Jean. Deciding to so at the foot of the drive, Marco reached over casually as the gates opened. Placing his hand along Jean’s jaw without even turning, Marco reciprocated a smile and moved on with the drive. 

The navigation on the car was stellar. Marco didn’t have remove any focus from the road with it on, and it even lowered his music volume for him during the directions. Having the road names spoken were of immense help, as he’d still not informed Jean of his vision issues on his right side. They were minimal last he’d had them checked, but it made reading small printed road signs difficult even more so. Jean had been right, however, and he found that while he enjoyed driving the car and its features, it was incredibly easy to speed in. By the time he’d merged onto the interstate he’d been easily going 85MPH. Apparently, Jean had been to the particular studio before, so it was still logged into the GPS. 

Thankfully, the duration of the trip wasn’t to be so long, as it was mostly interstate before it dumped them right into the heart of the city.    
  
Jean was busy singing and having the time of his life as they drove, but Marco couldn’t help but find something amusing in it all. Even after their seemingly tough conversations, Jean was having the time of his life just by being at his side, and there he was doubting it all. Maybe it was the natural cynic in him that had caused it, but while being in the moment there was nothing more natural to him. Being with Jean was going to come with far more difficult tasks, but now he knew that Jean was willing to push him through it just as he was. Remaining as a support for each other during their moments of doubt and worry was such a reassuring thought. After all, Jean had handled him near perfectly.

Upon arriving to their building, Marco turned to look at Jean. Several paces in front of them was a large security gate, and he had absolutely no clue how to handle it. Was there a protocol of sorts that he needed to follow? As they began to slowly approach it, Marco began to feel himself getting a bit antsy. The two men stationed at the guarding gate took him by complete surprise when they stopped him. Wearing smiles, each of them appeared to know just what was going on.   
  
As Marco rolled down the window, Jean leaned over his seat “Hey, guys! Just me, unfortunately, so you mind opening the gate? I know I’m not as pretty as Nadine, but I’d really appreciate it!”   
  
“You kid too much, Mr. Kirschtein, and I believe Ms. Partaine has already arrived,” one guard bellowed before signaling to open the gate.   
  
“Thanks for the heads up, have a good day gentlemen!” Jean called before Marco put the car in gear to drive through. Marco’s head was already spinning. Did he seriously build a repertoire with the guards?! Was there anyone who couldn’t find themselves swayed by Jean? Well, one person came to mind, but he was also 16 and a constant trouble maker. The idea was simply confounding. Jean’s work personality was beginning to shine through everything else, and it took no magician to see through that illusion. 

When Marco parked the car in the location Jean advised, he turned to Jean “So, what do I need to know before walking in there?”   


Contemplating his answer, Jean hummed “Hmm, don’t drink the coffee because it’s likely disgusting, Kaley is a sarcastic asshole, everything Rox says borders sexual but she’s just like that, Nadine I’ve known for years, we greet people differently, the air is going to be replaced with carbon monoxide, we’ll be dining on the entrails of our enemies just past noon---”

Rolling his eyes, Marco chuckled “Seriously, Jean! Is there anything I need to not say?”

“I don’t care what you say, Marco,” Jean shrugged casually as he unbuckled his seat belt “but, in all seriousness, some people there will likely just be mouthpieces for gossip. They’ll be interested in talking your ear off, or they’ll stick to themselves and whisper about you when your back is turned. People in this industry are catty, vindictive, gossiping, two-faced rodents. They’re nice to your face, but turn your back for a second and it’s a bloodbath. It doesn’t matter what you say to them, but know that whatever you choose to divulge will likely be leading a tabloid before the shoot is even over.”

“Understood,” Marco nodded “so the people you like---”

“Are few and far between,” Jean interrupted “but you’ll be meeting three of them today. Unfortunately, there’s not much I can say. I’ll get a couple breaks between changes, so I’ll need to get my caffeine and nicotine fix during one of them.”

Snickering, Marco thumped his breast pocket “I’ve got mine on me. I’ve also got my medication on me, if you catch my drift.”

“Marco Bodt,” Jean teased with a playful twack to his shoulder “you’re the worst. Unfortunately, part of my contract states I have to be sober during all proceedings. So, maybe afterwards.”   
  
Concerned, Marco had to ask “Do I wanna know why that’s in your contracts, Jean?”

Brushing it aside, Jean answered “Because a lot of models like cocaine, Marco. It keeps you up, curbs your appetite, keeps you thin. It makes the companies look bad when they know it’s happening though, so they’ve begun putting clauses in contracts so they can prove that they tried to put a stop to it. Not like anyone actually bothers checking it though.” 

“Ugh, that’s horrendous,” Marco recoiled “but I’ll at least go do a coffee run for you. Just tell me what you’ll want before, okay?”

Pressing a kiss to his cheek, Jean cooed “Aren’t you the sweetest? C’mon, enough stalling, Kaley will kick my ass if I’m even a second late.” 


	7. Snapped

Not wishing to make Jean late, Marco began to get out of the car. There was a good bit of nausea forming in his gut, but he did his best to ignore it and push on. Making a dramatic entrance seemed to be something Jean did quite often. Perhaps Marco would have expected the sudden action had they been alone, but when they were walking into the middle of a flurry of people he’d not known it was a shock. Without hesitating, Jean had rested his hand over his lower back as they’d walked in, but the smack to his ass that resonated off the walls was a shock. Marco jerked his head to Jean immediately, but thanks to the sound announcing their presence they were soon swarmed by a mass of people.

 

Having to step back a bit to preserve his sanity, Marco watched as a petite woman with vibrant jade eyes made her way through the crowd. Her chestnut hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, but the lavender and magenta streaks throughout it made him smile. Leave it to Jean to find a manager like her. Watching the small woman bulldoze her way through everyone crowding him was amusing. No one seemed to want to be anywhere near her path.   
  
“About fucking time! What the hell were you doing, huh? Do I need to check Instagram?” The woman berated while glaring daggers.   
  
Turning to Marco with a grin, Jean chuckled “Check it all you want, Kaley, but I was on the way here when I posted. I had a good driver. Would you like to meet him, or should I keep him away from your bitch fit?”

 

Eyes going wide at his proposition, the smaller woman was already walking towards Marco “Oh, you’re gonna introduce me before hair, makeup, and wardrobe own your ass.”

 

Jean stepped over to Marco with a sigh “Kaley, this is Marco. Marco, this is Kaley, my manager. See also: hell spawned gremlin.”

 

“My fucking damn, Jean,” Kaley muttered as she raked a clearly obvious gaze down Marco “you really went different, didn’t you? This the piece of----”

 

“Shit from camp?” Marco interrupted with a smirk as he offered out his hand. “Likely so. Dealing with Jean at 15 years old has a tendency to make us all absolutely bat shit. Pleasure to meet you, Ms….”

 

As he trailed off, Kaley filled in his blank and shook his hand firmly “Bozich. Yeah, I can imagine. Him at 25 is more than one woman can handle.”

 

“I know that’s right,” Jean winked with a snicker.   
  
Marco quirked a brow “Oh, like hell, boy. Don’t you even start that with me. You damn well you can be handled.”

 

“Ha! I like him a bit more now,” Kaley chortled before she gave a wave “and look who is here to see you, Jean. One woman who couldn’t be paid enough to even look at you twice. Nadine!” Marco’s direction jerked to the woman sauntering over to them. The crowd of Jean’s team dispersed and parted as the woman slinked up to them. Dressed in a white and crimson sundress, the silver-haired beauty struck him as someone who certainly belonged on a magazine cover. Her sharp bone structure and high cheekbones were stunning, and her frame was immaculate. Slender yet well muscled, and nearly his height in the short pumps she wore, the woman’s deep azure eyes were a stark contrast to her bronze skin.    
  
Kissing Jean’s cheeks, the woman’s lips split in a radiant smile “Jean! It’s so good to see you again!”

 

Reciprocating the greeting, Jean beamed “Nadine! That it is. It’s been far too long. How’ve you been?”

 

“Busy,” she answered quickly “but finding time for the little things. It seems you’re finally following my advice, hmm?”

 

“Perhaps,” Jean answered cryptically before inviting Marco over “and Nadine, I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend. Marco Bodt, this is Nadine Partaine. She’s a dear friend of mine and will be opposite me in the shoot today.”

 

“Ms. Partaine, a pleasure,” Marco offered with a low incline of his head. 

 

Not settling for the greeting, the woman placed her hands on his shoulders as she kissed each cheek gently “And you as well, Mr. Bodt, forgive my boldness but we do not shake hands where I’m from. What is it that you do, Mr. Bodt?”

 

“Depends on the time of the year I suppose,” Marco answered with a stunned expression “and that’s perfectly fine. I simply wasn’t expecting to be kissed by someone.”

 

Jean interjected “He’s got his hand in many pots.”

 

“Ah, is that what they are calling it these days, Jean, darling?” Nadine questioned with a feline grin. “Of course, I kid, but, forgive us for rushing off on you, Mr. Bodt. We must be sitting. You’re more than welcome to watch if you wish. You seem nervous.”

 

Taken off guard, Marco nodded “Uh, a bit, yes. Thank you, and, please, call me Marco.” She responded with a wink and dragged off Jean to the opposite side of the studio. Finally, Marco could examine his surroundings. Two emergency exits, opposite sides of the massive area, camera setup on a tripod without an operator, Kaley yelling at some people where Jean and Nadine were sitting surrounded by people, and an open area with a background being situated. For the time being it was blank, but there was no telling how long that would stay. Taking an open seat near the back of the room and next to some refreshments, Marco prefered to stay just near one of the exits while he watched the events unfold before him. 

 

So far, there was no panic settling in, but there was no telling if that would fluctuate as things progressed. The makeup team moved around the hair team as the wardrobe people ushered in a rack of clothing. Watching it make Marco’s eyes strain to keep up, as he attempted to make out what each was doing and how. Getting to see Jean quiet and leaning back in his chair as they styled his hair was surprising. He didn’t know Jean could be so placid when he wasn’t sleepy or worn out. Part of Marco wondered just what kind of things they’d be doing. How exactly were they going to be posing? What kind of backdrop would they be using?

 

After a half hour, Jean and Nadine were finally getting out of their chairs and Marco had to keep himself from staring slack jawed. An ounce of modesty wasn’t to be found in either model as they just stripped down to their underwear and pulled on the first outfit. Nadine’s feminine style had taken a hit as they placed her in a black blazer and slacks with the legs rolled up. Beneath it, a baggy white t-shirt and a pair of slide on shoes. Her makeup was dark and bold with black lipstick and heavy, cat style eyeliner.  Nothing about her looks seemed to have faded, however, as she still looked marvelous. It was Jean’s look that had him floored. He’d have never expected them to place Jean in heels let alone a pair of black, glittering, 6” strappy stilettos.

 

Wearing those heels placed him nearly 3” taller than Marco which made him a bit intrigued. Could he fucking walk in those goddamned things?! Slim fitting jeans, a powder blue crop top that read “Single, Taken, Really just 53 lizards in a recycled flesh suit,” and makeup had Marco doing a double take. They’d really taken Jean’s look somewhere, but he wasn’t hating the direction. Accentuating his finer features, the makeup team had highlighted his cheeks and placed a bright golden liner with a bit of the charcoal. Baring his heavily tattooed abdomen, Jean easily strutted to the center of the room with Nadine at his side. How the fuck he’d managed remained to be seen, but it was then the eccentric photographer made their entrance.

“Jean, baby! Nadine, darling! Oh, you both look _flawless!_ Let’s get this rolling, shall we?” Came the shrill shriek from the left of the room. Marco had to let out a huff. The photographer looked every bit dressed to be someone from the alternative magazine that Jean wound up on the cover of frequently. Long midnight hair stretching down to their lower back, crystal blue eyes, and a metal studded smile, the photographer began to remind him that Jean had said they were one of the three he liked. It was no damn wonder. Even the directives issued from them were simple and easily obtained by both models. He began to wonder if it was the same photographer from the fragrance photoshoot. 

Sitting back and watching would have seemed boring, but it was entrancing watching each slightest motion. He’d seen it before, but being able to convey emotion with a glance was something Jean didn’t have to put energy into doing. If there was something he’d been made for, it was modeling. Saying the camera loved him was a disservice to him, but it soon became apparent that something was up with him. As Marco braced himself on his elbows, balancing on his knees while he leaned forward, he began to notice that Jean was failing. There was something he was thinking about far too hard, and it appeared as if the photographer noticed when they called for a break. There were going to be some changes to the set during the time, but Marco immediately made for Jean. 

Not even remotely caring that he walked into the midst of the stirring, Marco placed a hand on Jean’s cheek “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Stunned, Jean could only shake his head “Heels pinch, ya know? They’re not very comfortable.”

“Mhmm, I know that,” Marco droned “but that’s not your issue. If it were physical you’d grin and bear it, like you have been, but something is up. Want me to grab you some coffee?”

“No, it’s alright, it’s probably just the lights making me hot,” Jean lied swiftly, wishing to move away from the topic.

Refusing to take that answer, Marco scoffed “Bullshit, don’t lie to me. Tell me, Jean, _what’s wrong?”_

“I’m fucking nervous!” Jean groaned before sitting on the chaise they’d been posing on just moments ago. “You’re watching me, and I’m nervous. No one has ever been here or been so intently focused on me.”

“I can stop, haha,” Marco offered with a smile before lifting Jean's hand and brushing a kiss against his fingertips “I’d kiss you, but I don’t want to ruin your makeup. It looks nice. Not too sure about the heels, they’re a death trap, but the rest… _..yeah.”_

Cheeky grin splitting his lips, Jean raised a brow “Oh? You sure it’s not because I’m taller than you, Mr. Clears-6-Foot.”

“You envious of my height, Jean? Let me tell you it’s a pain in the ass,” Marco mentioned before standing and offering help to Jean.   
  
Gladly taking his assistance, Jean got to his feet just in time to be glomped by the photographer “Hey, you! Something misfiring up there in that brain of yours?!”

Peeling the woman off him, Jean huffed “I’ll be alright, but first I need to do something. Marco, this is Roxanna Mosiel, one of my absolute best friends. Rox, this is Marco Bodt…remember that look from the fragrance ad? You asked me if I had someone in mind---” 

_ “Fuck me,”  _ Rox chuckled “I mean seriously, I could maybe be into that, but, Jean, did you mean Marco Body? Oh, I’d  _ love  _ to have you behind a lens. Tell me you’d be open to that. You’re beautiful.”

Completely bewildered, Marco just brushed the words aside “Ahaha, I’m too self conscious for cameras, thanks. I think Jean is more than good enough for the both of us. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Roxanne, and thank you for the compliments.”

“Rox,” they replied “and if there’s a reason for you to be self conscious it had better be good ‘cause you’d be great in Jean’s portfolio. I’m sure I could get some great risque boudoir shoots of the two of you. Gods know I’ve seen Jean naked so many times it’s more surprising when he’s wearing clothes.”

“Wow, Jean, you enjoy being naked that much, huh? I think I’ll pass on photos, but I could go for a smoke,” Marco droned. Looking to Jean, Marco lifted himself slightly on his toes to kiss him sweetly “ You get back to work, okay, pretty boy?”

“One more and I’ll lead you to my smoke area,” Jean prodded with a bat of his eyes.   
  
“I’ll do it for free, so the idiot can get to doing something productive, c’mon,” Rox guided as they chastised Jean with a click of their teeth. Marco chuckled warmly and decided following them couldn’t have been too bad. Weaving through the throng of assistance teams was annoying but nothing more so. Once Rox opened a backdoor that led out to a small alley, they gave him a grin “Would you be willing to do me a small favor?”

Quirking a brow as removed his pack of cigarettes, Marco found himself curious “And what could that be?

Shutting the door behind them, Rox inched closer to him “Listen, Jean doesn’t get nervous. I’ve never seen him thrown off his game, and that includes when he wanted to straight murder that designer from our last shoot. You clearly know how to make him comfortable, so if you see him doing something that you know you can fix, step in and fix it. I don’t know Jean in a physical sense and do _not_ want to, contrary to my picking around, considering I’m as asexual as they come.”

Finding it a bit strange, Marco had to ask “Wouldn’t that be odd? I mean, I get what you mean. My presence is throwing him off because he wants to do well in front of me, and I’ve noticed that. I really wouldn’t like to interrupt the shoot, and, no worries, I also wasn’t very influenced by your nature. You remind me of one of my own good friends.”

“Good to hear it,” Rox smirked impishly before smacking him on the shoulder “and knowing you inspired that downright incubus stare from the last shoot, I know that you can manage to bring him back to himself. Enjoy your nicotine, darling. Try to sneak back in as quietly as possible.”

“Sure thing, thanks,” Marco replied as he lit up his cigarette. At the first rush, a slight shiver pricked his skin. Perhaps Rox was right. If Jean was having issues with him being there then maybe he could use that to his advantage. He had to admit, Jean looked more than a bit tantalizing as the crop top revealed those enticing dermals on his hips. A momentary brush of his lips across his throat and a twist of the dermal would make Jean’s knees buckle. Should that be needed, he knew that would jolt Jean straight out of whatever funk was settling into him. Though, if that was Jean not at his peak performance, then what was? Now, that would be a thing worth capturing. 

It took him a bit to finish his cigarette, but it was just the amount of relaxation he needed before walking back into the studio. As Rox had asked of him, he did his best to shut the door quietly. Sneaking back to his seat, however, wasn’t going to be easy, so instead he took Jean’s makeup seat. Obviously he wasn’t going to be needing it for a bit, especially when Jean and Nadine had changed outfits again. Placing Nadine is something a bit more feminine such as a skirt and heels with a lacy flounce top, and showing Jean in something his alternative style suited the next backdrop well. He’d never thought that a sunset backdrop in a random creak would work for fashion, but it wasn’t like he knew anything about fashion anyhow. 

With Jean in a pair of ripped jeans, no shirt, a leather jacket, and a beanie, Marco felt jolted back to summer camp. It was clear this was to be their couple shoot as they were positioned close to one another in several suggestive positions. Once again, Jean seemed to have his thoughts clouded. Nadine’s hands were to be pushing the jacket off his shoulders as his hands were on her waist raising her top just enough to bare a midriff. Emotion seemed to be lacking from Jean’s take, but the motions were moved through a couple times just to see if he could manage to immerse himself in the moment. Beyond clear that it wasn’t happening, Marco swallowed every bit of anxiety twisting in the back of his throat.    
  
Rox’s giddy squeak could already be heard as Marco grabbed Jean’s wrists and shoved them on his stomach. Teasing him a bit with a kiss to his bared neck, Marco grazed his teeth across his skin before dropping a hand to turn a dermal. Feeling the soft tremble, Marco relented and returned to Nadine’s position. 

Acting as if he were to shove off Jean’s jacket, Marco whispered “Pretend she’s me, Jean. Even I can feel it’s not real, so pretend her hands are mine. Remember this.” Before stepping back, Marco brushed his lips just a fraction from Jean’s. Chasing the kiss, Jean clearly had gotten the idea from it, but Marco felt a bit guilty for not actually kissing him. As he walked off, Rox held out a hand, and he couldn’t leave them hanging. Their seemingly random high five left everyone puzzled, but Marco just returned to his seat and watched the scene unfold. Of course, Jean’s response to bit of stimulus went over quite well, but he felt the stare captured on camera directed at himself was leaving himself feeling a bit hot beneath the collar. Jean’s retaliation was going to be swift, and he knew that he’d be in a world of trouble for what he did. Oh well, he’d helped Jean get what he needed. 

After nearly four hours at the studio, Marco found himself wondering how long the next two changes would take. Luckily, there was a break approaching, so Jean would be able to have a moment to himself. Much to his surprise, Kaley had gone off to get his coffee order. At least he’d not have to try to remember whatever the hell he’d ordered the other day. It was more than a mouthful and not in the good way. 

While he was getting ready to go back out, he heard someone approaching him before hands were slithered down his chest “You’re going to regret that, Marco.”

Leaning back into Jean’s chest, Marco ran his tongue across his lip as he grinned “Oh yeah? I’ll look forward to it then. Rox said if you needed help that I needed to help because I was the reason you were distracted.”

“Of course they did,” Jean grumbled “but you wanna step out for a smoke?”

“Sure, lead the way,” Marco replied. Stepping out with Jean for a few minutes would be an absolute blessing. At least he figured it would be, but Jean had different plans. Leading him, by the forearm, out to the car, Jean stood by the door waiting for him to unlock it. Forgetting that he’d had the keys, Marco unlocked the car and figured that Jean had just left his cigarettes in the car. 

Getting into the car, Jean called out “Hey, Marco, do you remember seeing my pack of cigarettes?” Deciding to help him search, Marco stepped over to the car where he was jerked into the seat by his lapel. Impish smirk on Jean’s lips, Jean leaned over him to shut the door before climbing into his lap “You ever wanted to have some _fun_ in a sports car?”


End file.
